I tired sipping a little of this rum and was surprised to find that it wasn’t too bad. I added my usual cola and found the rum to be a fruity lightly spiced rum. It’s quite distinctive. I’m not sure what goes into the blend but a number of spiced rum producers could certainly learn a thing or two from these guys. According to regulations updated in 2017 from the Ministry of Industry, to distill whiskey, brandy and gin, you have to be making 30,000 liters per day. All other kinds of alcohol require 90,000 liters per day. One of the newest Thai spirits on the market also takes on the vodka market. Finland natives Mika Tikka and Jouni Heinonen partnered with San Miguel to distill Bangkok Vodkain Kanchanaburi. “When we created Bangkok Vodka, we weren’t thinking of the tourists, but we wanted Thai people to be proud that Thailand now can also do premium spirits,” says Heinonen. “I really believe that Thai people love to drink Thai drinks. For example, Thai craft beer is really growing and why is that? Because people want something different.”

Produced from Thai sugar cane and has a strength of 40% proof (which is apparently a little questionable in terms of stability). The rum has reportedly been awarded various international medals along with being exported to 20-odd countries, although its export sales account for only one percent of total sales.SangSom (แสงโสม) is a rum from Thailand, distilled from sugarcane. It was introduced in November 1977 and has since become a dominant brand in the Thai spirits market. Over 70 million litres are sold in Thailand each year, achieving a market share of more than 70 percent in its category. The availability of alcohol in Thailand, even for the locals and a large number of tourists has led to the fact that the Kingdom of Thailand is included in the global top five in alcohol consumption per capita. However, it is worth noting that the alcoholic beverages consumed in Thailand is not the same uniform. Thus, the share of the country’s southern provinces, where the population is predominantly Muslim, is not more than 8% on the amount of alcohol consumed annually. Conversely, in the north, where there are mostly Buddhists and is cold enough (by Thai standards) at night in the winter, the locals drink many times more. Of course, a huge amount of alcohol consumed in the popular resorts of Thailand, where the most favorable conditions are created for this. Even people who do not drink alcohol almost everyday life in Thailand often can not resist the temptation to try the local drink of varying degrees of fortress, in spite of the fact that to enjoy your vacation in this country and feel a sense of euphoria, you can be absolutely sober.

The beverage is virtually unheard of outside Thailand. The manufacturers, SangSom Company, export to around 20 countries, but export sales account for barely one percent of total sales. SangSom Company is a member of Thai Beverage Public Company, which itself is a group company of International Beverage Holdings Limited. Further north in Nong Khai, Issan Rum began with a team of five people in 2011 and has since expanded to a team of 30, nearly all of whom are women. Here, they peel the sugarcane before pressing it to reduce the sour taste and bring out the herbal and floral flavors. The results earned Issan Rum a silver medal at the IWSC Hong Kong in 2014. A year later, they won bronze in Rum Fest Paris’s “Less than 50%” category and gold medal in the special jury prize. Edelbrand markets its vodka under the Kristall brand, with a “V” to distinguish it from the gin and rum products. Made using sam pa tong rice, the flavor is mild and smooth. So yes it is safe to say that the majority of consumers who drink this stuff (which is usually on a daily basis) remain blissfully unaware of the fact that it plays no small part in the figures for alcohol-related deaths and health issues and that they are in fact abusing alcohol. Like the other ‘whiskies’ Sangsom and Mekhong, Hong Tong is also made largely from molasses, which is no surprise really considering how easily sugar cane grows in Thailand.I figured I would try this Thai rum as it wasn’t too expensive and being from Thailand it definitely wasn’t going to be a Caribbean rum. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.

Also in the thai supermarkets you can find and fruit and berry wines under the brand Fresco, which for its unusual taste and aroma have already won several international medals. Personally, I really like this sparkling wine. Generally, the wine industry in the country is developing rapidly, so many of those who “turn up his nose” of Thai wine 10 years ago recognized that today it has become much better and more pleasant to the taste. Among the most recommended to eat Thai wine brands can be noted Mont Clair, Peter Vella and Kookaburra, produced under the supervision of European winemakers. Also, the sale of alcohol is completely banned in some important national holidays, such as the birthday of the King or Queen, etc. A ban on alcohol sales in Thailand are often announced and during the elections to various state authorities. What to do if you want to drink alcohol, but its stores do not sell even beer ? Firstly, many bars at your disposal. Second, a minimum set of alcohol in Thailand is usually contained in the mini-bar hotel. Third, you should remember the main holidays in Thailand (at the same time learn the culture of the country). By law, alcohol is not sold in stores near schools, churches, especially mosques, shops and gas stations. Also, be aware that the sale of alcohol in Thailand is only allowed to persons with the age after 20 years. However, such a restriction on tourists especially are not covered, so that even high school graduates and first-year students can be assured that they will not go without alcohol, and to drink or not to drink – it’s up to them. This year, I chose to hop around Asia. My first stint was in Koh Samui, Thailand, where I suffered/enjoyed a 90-minute Muay Thai workout most days. The others, I explored the unexpected number of Italian restaurants and bars, Thai food and night markets that cluster Lamai Beach, where I had the pleasure of staying.

BRAND BELIEF

So the days of bars, restaurants, and even shops selling alcohol 24/7 are long in the past in Thailand, although there are seemingly still a fair few drinkers in the nation who don’t have a problem working around that. Either way, drinking forms an integral part of socializing in Thailand for a high proportion of the population.

It is named after one of the largest rivers in the country, if not in SE Asia, and sold in small, flat-looking half bottles as well as the larger 70cl ones. I’d read a little about Sang Som rum and it had been quite popular up until the 1980’s, winning numerous medals but for one reason or another it all but disappeared outside of Thailand. Equally as discreet in its labeling, Niikki Pure Spirit’s gin has a strong hit of juniper, courtesy of berries imported from Tuscany, Italy. Into the mix, this Chiang Mai-based company adds locally grown botanicals like oolong tea and coriander seeds. It’s very floral and a little sweet, perfect for a simple mix like gin and tonic, topped with a slice of lemon.On the nose: molasses and burnt caramel, with a small hint of citrus and spice hiding in the shadows. Not all local spirit-makers are trying to operate within the confines of a globally recognized type of alcohol. Indeed, with local laws only permitting generic “white spirits,” some of our best creations have no international comparisons at all. Rural Thai communities and villages have distilled their own alcohol for decades, and the practice remains commercially legal thanks to the One Tambon One Product scheme set up in 2001 to support local industries.