Mhoba The Shaldon High Ester Overproof Rum
63% ABV (126 proof) | 700mL | Unaged high-ester cane-juice rum | Malalane, Mpumalanga, South Africa — Mhoba The Shaldon is an overproof rum for funk lovers: a high-ester pot-still rum made from fresh estate sugarcane juice in South Africa's Mpumalanga province, named for Mhoba distiller Shaldon Engelbrecht. No aging, no additives — just intensity. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Mhoba distills fresh-pressed juice from N49 and N57 estate cane, fermented wild for 28 days with dunder and the Cousins process, then run through pot stills. The Shaldon blends the distillery's GHE and GHE-1.5 high-ester marques — this is the boldest end of Mhoba's lineup. At 126 proof it arrives all esters and electricity: tropical fruit, solvent-like funk, raw cane, and white pepper. A ti' punch or daiquiri base for the adventurous; handle with respect.
Tasting notes
Explosive esters: overripe pineapple, banana, cane juice, funk, white pepper, and a searing warm finish at 126 proof.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 126 proof high-ester rum — South Africa's answer to Jamaican funk
- Fresh cane juice, pot-still, 28-day wild fermentation — agricole-adjacent craft
- No additives, unaged, estate-grown cane
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Overproof rum is a cocktail engine: a quarter-ounce in a daiquiri transforms it; a ti' punch with lime and cane syrup lets the funk shine. Never shoot 126 proof — respect the ester.
Frequently asked questions
What does "high ester" mean?
Esters are the aromatic compounds that give rum its fruity, funky character. High-ester rums are fermented long and distilled to concentrate them — big aroma, big flavor.
Is it aged?
No — bottled unaged and clear at cask strength.
How big is the bottle?
700mL (not 750mL) — South African sizing.