Review: Sihhenge Pineapple Rum

How do you tame a monstrous rum like South Africa’s Mhoba, an ester-laden powerhouse that can overwhelm with the tiniest of sips? Easy: Drop some pineapple into it.

Sihhenge (roughly pronounced see-heng-eh) features a simple formula of rum made from fresh cane juice (fermented with wild yeast and pot distilled) which is infused with juice from fresh, low acidity Natal Queen pineapples for two weeks before bottling at 43% abv. It’s all made locally in South Africa, and the finished product is now available for U.S. consumers thanks to importer Holmes Cay.

Sihhenge Pineapple Rum Review

This rum is light yellow in color, with suspended solids visible from the infusion. It’s probably a good idea to shake before pouring.

The mega-estery base rum of Mhoba is never far from view here, punching the nose with classic notes of overripe fruit and bubblegum. The fruit is less distinct at first, mixing citrus and tropical notes with abandon, settling down a bit with time in glass to feature mango and, eventually, seared, caramelized pineapple. There’s a slight smokiness to the aroma, but this can be elusive, evolving into a toasted bread character over time.

The palate, once you dig into it, is a showcase for pineapple — fresh, juiced, grilled, you name it. It starts off sweet and gets sweeter, before finally falling back into notes of sweet tea and more earthy guava elements. You won’t miss the esters, but on the tongue the massively sweet bubblegum character is tempered just enough to make things balanced — balanced enough. A little of this rum goes a long way, dominating a cocktail yet surprisingly approachable on its own. It’s certainly not intended to be consumed that way, but I was surprised to see how much I enjoyed it when I did.

86 proof.

A- / $40

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