What Happened To Mekong?

[unblocktheplanet]

I may be one of those rare folks who likes Mekong. It is actually a hybrid rum and (so shoot me!) compares favourably to Irish spirits. What I like about it is that it's not so sweet like Sang Som and others and is a step above lao khao.

The Wikipedia article is enlightening: http://en.wikipedia....Mekhong_whiskey Created in 1941, distilled from 95% sugarcane and 5% and invented by a foreigner, American playwright James Honzatko! Opinion piece here: http://teleport-city...dpress/?p=12981 (This August article falsely states that Mekong in available in 7-11.)

However, when I went to Lotus to stock up six months ago, no Mekong! Nor was there any at Big C or Tops Super and the situation is the same today—no Mekong!

So I spent an hour this week phoning Thai Beverage which also advised no stock...due to rebranding, whatever that means. Any sensible marketer knows that when a product goes out of the market, consumers forget about it.

Gotta love giving friends a bottle they can't read! Any leads on old stock?

[naidraw66]

I think the Whiskey has gone to your head. I fail to see what relevance Mekhong_whiskey has in the AUDIO/VISUAL, HIFI & HOME THEATRE forum

[harrry]

I think the Whiskey has gone to your head. I fail to see what relevance Mekhong_whiskey has in the AUDIO/VISUAL, HIFI & HOME THEATRE forum

You obviously did not have the auditory percussion in the morning after a good night on it. Went down well with Coke.

[NaiharnGym]

I think the owner of Sang Som was upset that there was another spirit which could cause a 4 day hangover.

[pnustedt]

My local supplier told me a few weeks ago that they had stopped manufacturing, I bought a few extra bottles, but find too that supplies have now dried up. There's not really a Thai alternative that I have tasted. I'll have to do a bit more research. My guess is they'll relaunch it as something more exotic at a higher price.

[unblocktheplanet]

I think the Whiskey has gone to your head. I fail to see what relevance Mekhong_whiskey has in the AUDIO/VISUAL, HIFI & HOME THEATRE forum

You obviously did not have the auditory percussion in the morning after a good night on it. Went down well with Coke.

Gee, my header says “Thailand Forum > General > General topics”. You guys have the music too loud, or what?

[basjke]

Gotta love giving friends a bottle they can't read!

They can't be realy good friends if you would give them a bottle of Mekong.I guess klong water is much healthier.

[mizzi39]

Plenty of Mekong where I live in the sticks. 7-11 as well as almost every mom and pop store carries it. Sang Som is more of the popular choice when it comes to "Thai Whisky" though. Most people that I know who drink it say that it is less sweet than Mekong. Both are many steps above Lao Kao as far as I'm concerned. Lao Kao is good for possibly fueling your motorbike in a pinch and causing stomach bleeds.

Edited October 17, 2010 by mizzi39

[metisdead]

I think the Whiskey has gone to your head. I fail to see what relevance Mekhong_whiskey has in the AUDIO/VISUAL, HIFI & HOME THEATRE forum

You obviously did not have the auditory percussion in the morning after a good night on it. Went down well with Coke.

Gee, my header says “Thailand Forum > General > General topics”. You guys have the music too loud, or what?

Mods probably noticed it was in the wrong forum and put it in the right place.

I would like to add, about 4 weeks ago while visiting with a colleague downtown BKK who mentioned then that there was a lack of Mekong. My colleague wanted to bring a bottle back to USA for another colleague who likes it. None to be had, som nam na!

[LaoPo]

..no more Mekhong ?

I've sent an email to these people* in the UK; maybe they know more.

If I receive an answer I will post their reply.

* http://www.mekhong.com/

Looking at ThaiBev's website it says:

"ThaiBev also sells Sangsom, an award-winning rum, and Mekhong rum, both of which are very popular among Thai drinkers. "

A mystery to me as why Khun Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, #3 on the list of richest Thai would decide to stop producing the famous Thai Mekhong whiskey:

http://www.forbes.co...hakdi_A5FA.html

LaoPo

Edited October 17, 2010 by LaoPo

[SamboVilla]

I can't believe I've been here for ten months and never heard of it until yesterday when one of my friends was on about it. I've never drunk it and now, it seems, I never will. Should I be upset? I don't know. Would have liked to give it a try.

How come I've never heard of it and then it gets mentioned twice in two days, I love it when stuff like that happens!

[Johnniey]

Has anyone seen sang thip?

I haven't seen it for some time now - one of my favorites and much better than maekong IMO.sang.bmp

[Greenbhoy]

Mekong whiskey otherwise known as a bottle of beat the wife, wicked stuff. Wasn't there rumors that it was laced with caffeine ??

[llso]

I've drank a few bottles of the stuff in my time. When all I had to do in Thailand was sit around and drink with a few Expats at the compound I got on a Mekhong kick for awhile.

Guess we'll have to phone the inlaws and have them buy a few bottles for me upcountry. I'm sure here are a few dusty bottles up there.

LL

[LaoPo]

Mekong whiskey otherwise known as a bottle of beat the wife, wicked stuff. Wasn't there rumors that it was laced with caffeine ??

If in Thailand I love the stuff, Mekhong/Coke with lots of ice...hmmm but of course, like all other hard liquors, don' drink too much but I never had a hangover from Mekhong/Coke.

LaoPo

[Greenbhoy]

Mekong whiskey otherwise known as a bottle of beat the wife, wicked stuff. Wasn't there rumors that it was laced with caffeine ??

If in Thailand I love the stuff, Mekhong/Coke with lots of ice...hmmm but of course, like all other hard liquors, don' drink too much but I never had a hangover from Mekhong/Coke.

LaoPo

Hmmmm... Sounds like Jack Daniels and coke, never had a Hangover form that either, must give the old Mekhong/Coke a try next trip if I can find a bottle

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I took three (3) bottles of Mekhong back to the U.S. last month, went over fine!!

Do hope Mekhong doesn't go the way of another fine Thai brew, Kwang Tong, or Golden Deer. Some years back used to buy that by the case, about baht 195 if you returned the bottles. This was in Nong Khai.

Mac

[Supernova]

Just reading Mekhong whiskey sure brings back fond memories of the late 1980s. I was in high school at the time. My very first alcoholic beverage was a Mekhong-Soda, I remember being drunk as a monkey after one 'ban' (small bottle). That along with Amarit and Kloster beer... A pack of Marlboro red cost 25 baht, KrongThip half the price I think.

Miss the good ol' days. Thailand was awesome back then.

[xen]

Just reading Mekhong whiskey sure brings back fond memories of the late 1980s. I was in high school at the time. My very first alcoholic beverage was a Mekhong-Soda, I remember being drunk as a monkey after one 'ban' (small bottle). That along with Amarit and Kloster beer... A pack of Marlboro red cost 25 baht, KrongThip half the price I think.

Miss the good ol' days. Thailand was awesome back then.

Must agree with Supernova about the fond memories of Mekong Whisky in the late eighties. Also the Kloster beer too. i haven't seen that much Mekong whiskey over the past decade but i was given some "20 year old aged Mekong" a few years back in a fancier bottle as a present from some Thai friends . . I am not too sure if it ages well as i have never opened the bottle. The other fond memory of Mekong Whisky was the calanders that could be picked up from the Post Offices around NewYear time. Still have a few i have saved. Thai calender girls looked just as good back then as hey do now.

[krading]

I too am quite fond of Maekhong and soda but have been having such a hard time getting it I've had to switch to Saeng Som, 100฿ a bottle dearer. I've heard the 're-branding' story too from a man in the village who works for a distributor.

Even when MK was widely available I couldn't get it a restaurant because it was considered Lo-So and so I always had to keep a bottle or two stashed in the car for emergencies.

What? Me Lo-So? Not Lo-So, just LOusy.

[p_brownstone]

Just reading Mekhong whiskey sure brings back fond memories of the late 1980s. I was in high school at the time. My very first alcoholic beverage was a Mekhong-Soda, I remember being drunk as a monkey after one 'ban' (small bottle). That along with Amarit and Kloster beer... A pack of Marlboro red cost 25 baht, KrongThip half the price I think.

Miss the good ol' days. Thailand was awesome back then.

Must agree with Supernova about the fond memories of Mekong Whisky in the late eighties. Also the Kloster beer too. i haven't seen that much Mekong whiskey over the past decade but i was given some "20 year old aged Mekong" a few years back in a fancier bottle as a present from some Thai friends . . I am not too sure if it ages well as i have never opened the bottle. The other fond memory of Mekong Whisky was the calanders that could be picked up from the Post Offices around NewYear time. Still have a few i have saved. Thai calender girls looked just as good back then as hey do now.

I don't think Mekhong will age in the bottle; in the 70's I had an Australian friend here who would run it through a charcoal filter to remove the colouring and (caramel?) sweetners and then store it in wooden Casks for several months, that did make a big difference.

Also in the 70's the running joke was that the best place to drink Mekhong was in Chiang Mai because it took 2 days to get there - so it was mature!

Patrick

[onlooker]

Mekong is going to be rebranded and relaunched in a bid to take it upmarket. ( This from someone who works for the distributor.)

I guess similar to Regency brandy, with the TV ads white skinned goddesses sipping it as the Thai army defeats the Burmese. It'll be a chick's drink within a year.

[LaoPo]

Mekong is going to be rebranded and relaunched in a bid to take it upmarket. ( This from someone who works for the distributor.)

I guess similar to Regency brandy, with the TV ads white skinned goddesses sipping it as the Thai army defeats the Burmese. It'll be a chick's drink within a year.

That would be good news and looking at the millions of tourists it could use a bit of a new label design on the bottle. As long as they keep the price civil it's OK

LaoPo

[lopburi3]

Forty years ago it was the only local drink for most and soda, Sprite, 7-Up and Coke were all used as mixers. The date of manufacture was on the inside of label and more than a few days old was considered aged. Most people had less of a hangover problem with Mekong than with Singh Beer (which was normally the only real alternative).

[Daailo]

Was also wondering where it had gone. Thanks for the info.

Never liked it with coke - too sweet for my taste. Used to drink it with soda and a squeeze of lime. Much easier to use the can of soda manao which also goes well with Sang Som (or is it Song Sam?).

[astral]

The company does this from time to time.

I remember when Sang Thip disappeared and was replaced with Sang Som.

IMHO Sang Thip had a much better flavour.

TIT

[nocturn]

gee, what ever happend to benzene 98? now that had a kick like a thai boxer.

edit: dam_n new keyboard

Edited October 18, 2010 by nocturn

[billd766]

Has anyone seen sang thip?

I haven't seen it for some time now - one of my favorites and much better than maekong IMO.sang.bmp

I has not been around for a long time but I do have 1 bottle hidden away in my mother-in-laws house.

She is teetotal so it is safe.

I think that Mekong was banned by the UN as a chemical or biological weapon.

I used to drink Mekong, ice and coke and get some wicked hangovers.

Now I drink Sang Som, soda and ice and no more hangovers.

[basjke]

This is a review of Mekong wiskhy :

Overall score…0 corks

Well what can we say about this, firstly let us apologise for calling it Whisky earlier in this review, because one thing is for sure, it is as close to Whisky as jelly is to Mount Everest.

This bottle should have a health warning in the way that all hazardous liquids have

It was not poor is was quite revolting, but the Whisky Boys had to do a tasting because it was bought as a Whisky and we will review the good the bad and the ugly, and this one was not only bad it was ugly too.

The Whisky Boys would recommend that if you come across a bottle either in a bar or in a shop, home or abroad, then take our advise and RUN.

[ChangMaiSausage]

This must be a first Mekong has become vailable in Qatar a few months back (Booze distribution shop) Cost 80QAR = about 800THB.

The labelling has changed (will take a picture when I go home) I prefer Sang Som but I'll drink what's available.