If you ask a Thai man what kind of liquor they like the most, invariably they will respond that they like whiskey. I don’t know if it’s just lack of knowledge, a word that was poorly used and translated in the past or wanting to seem sophisticated, but the vast majority of the “Thai whiskeys” are in actuality rum, have been made from distilled sugar cane.

Hong Thong (which means “golden swan”) is by far the most ubiquitous of the colored alcohols that is consumed by Thais. Regency is a step up, and if you are really fancy then you’ll splurge for some real whiskey in the form of Johnnie Walker. Other brands that are common to see in bars include Blend 285, Sang Som, Mekhong and 100 Pipers.

I don’t recall any Thai person ever drinking these straight, they are always mixed with ice and soda water. In fact, the association of alcohol with soda water is so strong that my co-teacher was confused when I once bought a soda water just to drink on its own and was concerned that I was going to be drinking in the middle of the day.
 

 

....as I copied this story from the web....cheers! :-)

Hmmm.  My guess the Op is asking this question because he wants to pour cheap Thai whiskey into expensive Scotch whiskey bottles in his bar to increase profits?

 

That's something they do in New Jersey bars.  Someone got caught because they actually test it occasionally.

 

Busted. ????

4 minutes ago, mo3s said:

If you ask a Thai man what kind of liquor they like the most, invariably they will respond that they like whiskey.

It's because they seem to call anything stronger than beer เหล้า.

 

My wife calls soju lao.

 

Most Thai people translate เหล้า as whisky - hence they call vodka, gin, rum, tequila etc all just "whisky".

 

3 hours ago, Deli said:

15 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.

Mekhong is promoted as an up market spirit for the past few years , at 425 Baht for 70 Cl.

 

Anyway, reading the posts in this thread makes it obvious that being an alcoholic doesn't mean you're an expert on booze

4 minutes ago, Susco said:

Anyway, reading the posts in this thread makes it obvious that being an alcoholic doesn't mean you're an expert on booze

So are you saying posters in this thread are alcoholics?

Scotch Brite has always worked for me.

11 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

So are you saying posters in this thread are alcoholics?

Are you saying priests are alcoholics?

15 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

So are you saying posters in this thread are alcoholics?

Not that it would surprise me, but where in the world did you read that?

 

Just take a Scotch Brite and relax. It´s good for you!

IMO all of Thai spirits are extremely poor and many 35-38 degree. The only one I think stands up up Kulov vodka distilled 6 times and 300 baht for 70cl and it's 40 per cent proof. I will only drink stuff like Hong Tong at weddings and bodlian ceremonies, that's what they usually have.

8 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Not that it would surprise me, but where in the world did you read that?

"Anyway, reading the posts in this thread makes it obvious that being an alcoholic doesn't mean you're an expert on booze".

 

Post#35

3 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

"Anyway, reading the posts in this thread makes it obvious that being an alcoholic doesn't mean you're an expert on booze".

 

Post#35

Yes, he probably assume that many foreigners in Thailand are drinking far to much. Which actually is a fact. A sad one, but a fact. Many people in the expat population would be considered alcoholics in their respective home countries based on their alcohol consumption. However, he never stated that all posters were alcoholics anywhere. Just voiced his take on the thread and his opinion out of reading the posts.

Anyone who lowers himself to drinking that swill produced in Thailand indicates that he's drinking to drink, not to enjoy what he's drinking.

 

Add to that, from the posts in this thread it's obvious that most of them have even no idea what they are actually swallowing.

 

An Scotch " expert " calling a Hong Thong close to a decent scotch , or calling Regency a rum, says enough

 

https://www.bustle.com/articles/15694-these-4-international-drinks-will-give-you-the-worst-hangover-of-your-life

 

1. Hong Thong whiskey, Thailand

 

Hangover Score: 5/10. The next day I was not painfully hungover, but found that a sedentary state in a darkened, icy room was ideal. I pretended I was a vampire.

Lesson: Whiskey that shares a name with underwear is never a good idea.

18 hours 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!

Hong Thong is rum, not whiskey. I guess the closest might be Blend 285. It's available at both Tesco Lotus incl Tesco Lotus Express and 7/11. Quite popular actually. Just Google it. 

19 hours ago, CharlieH said:

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.

 

Black Label - is Johnnie Walker Black Label which is an actual blended Scotch whisky!

 

It's smoother than the cheaper Red Label which is very popular and always used to be what my dad drank.

I remember the first time I came to Thailand, and everyone seemed to think that Johnny Walker black label was a good whisky. As I had been working in Scotland at the time, I found that quite amusing.

21 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Hong Thong is rum, not whiskey. I guess the closest might be Blend 285. It's available at both Tesco Lotus incl Tesco Lotus Express and 7/11. Quite popular actually. Just Google it. 

 

Or you could push the boat out and buy 100 Pipers which is decent enough when using a mixer for a cocktail. Certainly better than the cheap Bell's which seems to have a different taste to the Bell's in the UK.

 

I usually buy Black Label, Double Black or a single Malt for drinking straight. You can get some reasonable malt's here now. 

1 hour ago, Susco said:

Mekhong is promoted as an up market spirit for the past few years , at 425 Baht for 70 Cl.

 

Anyway, reading the posts in this thread makes it obvious that being an alcoholic doesn't mean you're an expert on booze

 

Posting silly comments with false equivalence doesn't mean your're drunk does it? 

 

 

Every 7/11 sells 100 pipers.A Scotsman I knew used to call it paint stripper but he drank it.

15 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Or you could push the boat out and buy 100 Pipers which is decent enough when using a mixer for a cocktail. Certainly better than the cheap Bell's which seems to have a different taste to the Bell's in the UK.

 

I usually buy Black Label, Double Black or a single Malt for drinking straight. You can get some reasonable malt's here now. 

Yes, 100 Pipers is popular,too,but it's not a thai whiskey. I like single malt but I actually don't need it while living in Thailand. 

Just now, The Old Bull said:

Every 7/11 sells 100 pipers.A Scotsman I knew used to call it paint stripper but he drank it.

Once you add Coke to many whiskies it could be anything

 

The wife drinks johnny red here in oz at a slow pace,may be a bottle per week, but when with  her friends in Thailand that goes to 1 per day which adds up. so i said can't you find some thing cheaper. she picked blend 285 as the closest to red label and unlike samsong you can light a match in the bedroom next morning 555.

1 minute ago, The Old Bull said:

Every 7/11 sells 100 pipers.A Scotsman I knew used to call it paint stripper but he drank it.

OP asked about thai whiskey,and 100 Pipers is not a thai whiskey.

The best cheap substitute I have found is Bells from 7/11 - $395. Can't go wrong

43 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Posting silly comments with false equivalence doesn't mean your're drunk does it? 

 

 

 

Not sure which line of my post you refer to, but first I didn't use the word being drunk, I said alcoholics.

 

Secondly if the false equivalence refers to the current price of Mekhong, see my screenshot.

 

Thirdly, I hope I didn't stroke a nerve, because most alcoholics are in denial of the fact, and are offended when they are called out.

 

 

6 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

Not sure which line of my post you refer to, but first I didn't use the word being drunk, I said alcoholics.

 

Secondly if the false equivalence refers to the current price of Mekhong, see my screenshot.

 

Thirdly, I hope I didn't stroke a nerve, because most alcoholics are in denial of the fact, and are offended when they are called out.

 

 

Mekhong is also a rum,not a whiskey. 

9 minutes ago, Lazybones said:

The best cheap substitute I have found is Bells from 7/11 - $395. Can't go wrong

Still not a Thai whiskey.

Not a big drinker, so only drank a few  spirits here (other than ones i import myself). sometimes buy Bells, as cheaper than wine these days .... My wife tried to get me to drink Blende 285, but i found it tasteless. Like most Thais, i prefer Hong Thong - reasonable taste, although not much like Scotch. And yes i only drink my spirits straight. If you are adding mixers may as well use lao khao!

No Thai whiskey tastes like a Scotch or Irish whiskey. There is no similarity whatsoever for a 40 year Irish born whiskey drinker like me.

2 minutes ago, rickudon said:

Not a big drinker, so only drank a few  spirits here (other than ones i import myself). sometimes buy Bells, as cheaper than wine these days .... My wife tried to get me to drink Blende 285, but i found it tasteless. Like most Thais, i prefer Hong Thong - reasonable taste, although not much like Scotch. And yes i only drink my spirits straight. If you are adding mixers may as well use lao khao!

Hong Thong is rum. 

19 hours ago, Victornoir said:

I used to like Regency but he is nowhere to be found.

So like many I got used to Hong Thong and finally I appreciate, in small doses and only during parties.
Hong is also my Thai friends' favorite wisky and therefore a good opportunity to socialize.

Regency is Brandy, Hong Thong is rum. Neither are a whisky.

100 Piper's used to be popular amongst my friends but Regency is the current flavour of the month.

They did manage to polish this off yesterday.