Thai whiskey

[Gandtee]

What Thai whiskey comes near to Scotch whisky in taste? 

[CharlieH]

Doesnt exist ! now if you asked what Thai whiskey is close to paint thinner or surgical spirit there may be several. ????

[Dale75]

Well, I've drunk Scotch all my life, of all qualities. Over here I enjoy Hong Thong. I take it straight (like my Scotch) and it's fine and great value.

If you drink with mixers (ugh!) and/or ice (ugh! again) I guess you would barely be able to tell the difference between Hong Thong and a UK Supermarket own lable Scotch.

Cheers!

[CharlieH]

4 minutes ago, Dale75 said:

Well, I've drunk Scotch all my life, of all qualities. Over here I enjoy Hong Thong. I take it straight (like my Scotch) and it's fine and great value.

If you drink with mixers (ugh!) and/or ice (ugh! again) I guess you would barely be able to tell the difference between Hong Thong and a UK Supermarket own lable Scotch.

Cheers!

See ! now there is a classic in how tastes differ, to many I have known ( as I dont actually drink) they have said Hong Tong is cheap nasty and closest to running a lawnmower on it ! ( no offence intended) and they would go with Black label as the nearest to actual whiskey.

I guess the point is, its all a matter of personal taste. One mans fruit is anothers poison.

[BritManToo]

57 minutes ago, Dale75 said:

Well, I've drunk Scotch all my life, of all qualities. Over here I enjoy Hong Thong.

Hong Thong is made from molasses, which in my book makes it Rum.

"Smooth and easy drinking, Hong Thong is a golden spirit made from molasses at the renowned Bangyikhan Distillery near Bangkok. The name 'Hong Thong' translates into 'Golden Phoenix'."

Edited March 2, 2020 by BritManToo

[ExpatOilWorker]

For the price Clan Gold is a decent and widely local sold whisky.

 

[Number 6]

Regency is rum and it's everywhere???

 

I've done too much research on this topic. In my opinion local alcohol is swill although I could drink Hong Thong or Blend with ice, soda at a Thai get together if I had to.

 

I'm no fan of any "Scotch" under b700 although Bell's is sorta okay. Dewers price keeps bouncing around it's back to 759b. I won't touch it over 700. Piper's is a very poor value. Really dreadful stuff all "scotch" under 800-900L.

 

I suspect many international brands are adding additional grain spirits to what's sold in this country Dewer's and JW Red in particular. They never taste good neat, always nasty bite andvtaste. Bell's, Piper's. All of it.

 

600b should get you something that might not taste delicious but shouldn't make you wince.

Edited March 2, 2020 by Number 6

[Number 6]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Hong Thong is made from molasses, which in my book makes it Rum.

"Smooth and easy drinking, Hong Thong is a golden spirit made from molasses at the renowned Bangyikhan Distillery near Bangkok. The name 'Hong Thong' translates into 'Golden Phoenix'."

Hong Thong is the rebrand old Maekong whisky

[Yorkshire Tea]

3 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

Hong Thong is the rebrand old Maekong whisky

Which was rum?

Edited March 2, 2020 by Yorkshire Tea

[Number 6]

15 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Which was rum?

Well it's not been around for 20+ years so I doubt we can test it.

 

That's a question mark. Are you asking a question or making a statement?

 

Maekong was very nasty assuredly. It prolly was rum what other local dark spirit would it be? Surely not imported Scotch.

 

Then there's Sang Thip or Sang Som. Can't recall old and new. I don't drink that hooch either.

[Dale75]

Let's not split hairs guys. The original question from the OP was "What Thai whiskey comes near to Scotch whisky in taste?"

Hong Thong is made from a mixture of grain and molasses so yeah it's not a pure whisky but in taste terms? I think it's pretty close.

(even more so when you consider your bang for your buck)

 

I enjoy Scotch most of all (particularly Islay single malts) but also appreciate Irish whiskey, American bourbons (Wild Turkey, mmm) and Indian, Canadian and Japanese whiskies.

IMHO, Hong Thong is a great value whisky (substitute?).

Regency, to me tastes more like a brandy - too fruity.

Sang Som, to me tastes more like a dark rum - too sweet.

 

All in all, it's good to have the choice. 

No-one is right or wrong, it's just a matter of opinion.

 

We are simply sharing it................

 

Edited March 2, 2020 by Dale75
PS Good for the OP in differentiating between "Thai whiskey" and "Scotch whisky". Us whisk(e)y nerds can debate these eccentricities endlessly!

[Nakmuay887]

Regency is my favorite spirit here. I find it quite good actually! 

[Tarteso]

No thanks... scotch! ????

[Deli]

12 hours ago, Number 6 said:

Hong Thong is the rebrand old Maekong whisky

No, not really. Maekhong is still in the market with an old style yellow label. Just hard to find but still tastes well.

[liddelljohn]

Regency is NOT RUM its made from grapes and is  a type of Brandy  , French cognac it aint its  a bit rough but  acceptable  and  more palatable than  yuckky sang som thai whiskeys or lao khao

[KC 71]

Blend

[Centrum]

13 hours ago, Number 6 said:

Hong Thong is the rebrand old Maekong whisky

Which is a rum

[Dazinoz]

I recently went to a show and was asked what I wanted to drink. I asked for a scotch and was given Grande which tasted nice to me. Even my gf who drinks very little liked it. I asked to see the bottle and it is a blended spirit made in Thailand. So I don't really know if it is a scotch or not. I looked around and found it at my local Big C. I also don't mind Blend 285.

 

I used to make spirits in Australia as a hobby and they are are all ethanol based alcohol with added flavours. Apparently a Canadian whisky is made the same way but I can't remember the name. This was told to me by a Canadian

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Dazinoz

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, Centrum said:

Which is a rum

You're right .......

"Despite being known as a whisky, Mekhong is much more a rum. The distilled spirit is made from 95 percent sugar cane/molasses and five percent rice. The distilled spirit is then blended with indigenous herbs and spices to produce its aroma and taste. Mekhong is distilled, blended, and bottled at the Bangyikhan Distillery on the outskirts of Bangkok. It contains 35 percent alcohol by volume, and it is used in a cocktail called the "Thai Sabai"."

[beavenlen]

having lived in the or rather along the Moray firth,i would dare anyone on this sitr to ask a true scot to compare Thai whisky to any whisky distilled in Scotland.  there is absolutly no comparison except as afore mentioned paint thinner or paint stripper.

[Denim]

Crown 99 is a cheap Thai whisky blended locally from imported malt.

 

I don't like scotch and am no expert but as soon as you smell this and taste it you will notice the scotch flavor. Completely different from the Thai rums like Hong Tong etc.

 

The price is similar to Hong Tong.

 

 

All Thai Bevs offerings can be seen here :

 

http://www.thaibev.com/en08/product.aspx?sublv1gID=12

 

Drummer is their top range but never tasted it yet 

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Denim

[rwill]

Most of the Thai stuff is in the rum category.  They are made from sugar cane products and rice.

Regency is made with grapes and other fruits.

Blend 285 uses imported scotch and blends it with other stuff.

 

This page from Thaibev shows what each product is made from:

http://www.thaibev.com/en08/product.aspx?sublv1gID=12

[stouricks]

14 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

For the price Clan Gold is a decent and widely local sold whisky.

 

Bells at Bht 299 isnt too bad either. Do a taste test with that and Hong or Sangsom and you would taste the difference.

[Burma Bill]

15 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Hong Thong is made from molasses, which in my book makes it Rum.

"Smooth and easy drinking, Hong Thong is a golden spirit made from molasses at the renowned Bangyikhan Distillery near Bangkok. The name 'Hong Thong' translates into 'Golden Phoenix'."

yes indeed, Thai "whiskey" is RUM as it is distilled from sugar cane (molasses). In the small print on a bottle's label you will see "rum". 

[SteveK]

Most Thai whisky is rum, as already mentioned, and tastes like a combination of white spirit and mouthwash.

 

Still haven't found a Thai spirit which is decent enough to consider drinking neat.

 

If I want a whisky and coke, I go for Blend 285, good value for money and tastes fine when mixed.

 

None of the cheapo Thai stuff is anywhere close to even the worst Scotch.

[tifino]

14 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

14 hours ago, Number 6 said:

Hong Thong is the rebrand old Maekong whisky

Which was rum?

are we saying here that Hong Thong is a relabel, of the old pre-mid80's formulation? 

 - considering that Mekhong as per current Labels,  is still widely (wildly) on the shelves 

 

p.s. I wouln't myself ever again give that johnny walker stuff the time of day. So rough only a thai would get an ego boost from drinking something he thinks is good, just because it is falang sourced...   

 

... visit nephews and they come out with JW, as some sort of badge of honour, and a few weeks salary for...

So, I then come out with a Mekhong bottle from Tesco Lotus. 

[xtrnuno41]

First drink hong tong, but switched to Blend 285, taste good.

Aswell mixed or straight up

[George Aylesham]

15 hours ago, Number 6 said:

Regency is rum and it's everywhere???

 

I've done too much research on this topic. In my opinion local alcohol is swill although I could drink Hong Thong or Blend with ice, soda at a Thai get together if I had to.

 

I'm no fan of any "Scotch" under b700 although Bell's is sorta okay. Dewers price keeps bouncing around it's back to 759b. I won't touch it over 700. Piper's is a very poor value. Really dreadful stuff all "scotch" under 800-900L.

 

I suspect many international brands are adding additional grain spirits to what's sold in this country Dewer's and JW Red in particular. They never taste good neat, always nasty bite andvtaste. Bell's, Piper's. All of it.

 

600b should get you something that might not taste delicious but shouldn't make you wince.

Regency, though rum, is by far the best locally brewed spirit. Smooth, with a decent taste to.

[VocalNeal]

17 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Doesnt exist ! now if you asked what Thai whiskey is close to paint thinner or surgical spirit there may be several. ????

Good as a hand sterilizer

[Susco]

1 hour ago, stouricks said:

Bells at Bht 299 isnt too bad either.

Bells is 375 for 70 Cl