Thai whiskey: what you need to know + 7 popular brands

Whiskey from Thailand is far from the classic Scotch-Irish spirit both in terms of recipe and taste.

In fact, it is closer to rum than to scotch. The main advantage of unusual drinks is their affordable price: the cost of a standard 0.7 liter bottle is in the range of $3-10. As for the quality, it all depends on the brand.

What you need to know about Thai whiskey

1. The product is most popular at home, not only among locals but also among visitors to the country. Tourists often bring Thai whiskey, along with rum, as an exotic souvenir for friends and family.

2. The main raw material for the production is sugar cane distillate, less often you can find grain or malt blends.

3. Malt whiskeys often include aged imported Scotch malt that has been aged.

4. Distillation is carried out in classical stills or continuous columns.

5. The drinks are bottled in 0.35, 0.7 and 1 liter containers.

6. The most famous producers are: "Sura Bangyikhan Co., Ltd.", "Sangsom Co., Ltd.", "Red Bull Distillery Co., Ltd.".

Popular brands

1. Mekhong Whiskey

   One of the most famous and oldest whiskey brands in Thailand. Produced from molasses (95%) and rice. Due to the inclusion of herbs and spices, it has a strong aroma. The taste is harsh and rough, reminiscent of poorly purified rum.

   

2. Hong Thong

   One of the best brands in terms of quality and the most popular among locals. It is based on rice distillates. It has a pronounced fragrant aroma and a specific tart taste.

   

3. Mungkorn Thong

   Made on the basis of sugar molasses and rice, flavored with herbs. It tastes similar to Hong Thong, but is cheaper.

   

4. Varinthip

   Unusual whiskey with an admixture of herbal extracts. Available in 3 versions with different packaging colors (white, yellow and blue). The "blue" version is considered to be the most expensive and of the highest quality.

   

5. Blend 285

   The drink closest to the classic blended whiskey. In addition to local grain spirits, it contains malt distillates from Scotland. The taste is characterized by notes of ginger, mint, curry and smoke. Tourists recognize it by its stylish black packaging.

   

6. Sang Thip

   A rough strong drink with a harsh taste. Made from sugar cane, contains herbal extracts.

   

7. 100 Pipers

   A drink that differs favorably from most Thai products with a more "European" taste, which is more typical for whiskey. Rarely found on sale.

   

In addition to the listed brands, popular ones are: "Yoong Thong", "Crown 99", "Drummer", "One More".

The color of the drinks varies from light golden to dark amber.

Most of them have a strength of 35%. Sang Thip has an increased degree (40%).

How the Thais drink whiskey

Whiskey is usually drunk in the evening or in the afternoon, poured into thick glasses.

The optimal temperature for tasting is 18-20 °C.

The drink is rarely consumed in its pure form, usually diluted with soda, cola, soda, softened with ice or included in cocktails.

Local cuisine is the main appetizer: fried rice, noodles, spring rolls, exotic fruits.

Update: 29.05.2019

Category: Whiskey and Bourbon