So I came across this article in Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013/08/15/great-rum-from-where-yes-thailand/

Has anyone tasted it, or at least know where you can buy it locally?

King Power on Soi Rang Nam (beside Victory Monument BTS) has it.

Thanks.

Tried it?

No I haven't. I read that article as well then went into King Power for a look and spotted it. Haven't seen it anywhere else and don't remember the price.

7/11 sell a cheap rum(not whisky) called Saeng Som.

Does anyone actually like the taste of rum? Most I know hide the taste with coke or whatever.

When I was 15 I drank a bottle of Watson's rum in 1/2 hour. Man was I sick - put me off rum for years.

Edited September 21, 201312 yr by Neeranam

I love rum -- good rum from the Caribbean. Not Saeng Som or anything else from Thailand (so far). That's why I'm keen to try this stuff. If Forbes says it's good, it should be.

7/11 sell a cheap rum(not whisky) called Saeng Som.

Does anyone actually like the taste of rum? Most I know hide the taste with coke or whatever.

When I was 15 I drank a bottle of Watson's rum in 1/2 hour. Man was I sick - put me off rum for years.

Thanks for informing us that you can buy Sangsom in Thailand's 7/11's....I'm sure no one knew that already.

Enough sarcasm?

I love the taste of rum particularly Havana rum. Anejo 7 is lovely. Great on it's own, on the rocks, with some ginger or with some coca cola, ice and lime. Tasty in cocktails too.

Rum is my favourite spirit actually.

Is Blend a mixture of whiskey and rum - Kind of has a rum taste to it.

The term 'Thai whiskey' is a misnomer - it usually refers to rum or occasionally a brandy (Regency is the only one of those I've tried), although the invasion of JW into Thailand might have muddied the waters for some. Whenever I mention Mehkong, some will roll their eyes and say 'No way - Thai whiskey - that stuff will take your head off !', and IME they are right. It's the only spirit that has ever caused me vivid hallucinations accompanied by a blackout to my actions in the 'real world' - admittedly, after mixing my drinks over an entire night of drinking. The fact that I dont drink at all in Oz may impact the end result in Thailand, but I can usually drink beer from dusk till dawn with little more than a headache to show for it. This isnt a drink to be taken lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekhong_(spirit)

It appears that the company was bought out by Sangsom in around 2010 and ceased production. It was almost impossible to buy a bottle in early 2011. However it is now back in production with a new English language label. In mid-2011 it was for sale at Duty Free Bangkok.

It's always interesting when you invite Thais to share a bottle of Mehkong - some will have one small glass and leave it at that (smart people!), others will wave it away as though you'd asked them to drink drain cleaner (even smarter), but the few who will join you seem to lose the 'carefree Thai' facade and it quickly becomes serious business. I have little doubt that those folk know what it feels like to wake up face first on the floor of your apartment with zero memory of how you got there - definitely not recommended outside your own apartment block, and even then I'd be very sure I could trust those around me.

I love rum -- good rum from the Caribbean. Not Saeng Som or anything else from Thailand (so far). That's why I'm keen to try this stuff. If Forbes says it's good, it should be.

I'm with you. wouldn't touch the poison that is Saeng Som again after acquiring a habit of mixing it with Birdy Coffee, quite nice, but ended up with permanent double vision and hands 'clawing' many years ago

As to the Forbes article, quote : Speaking of the bottle, it is a knockout, shrouded in a gold metallic filigree cuff, very unique and impressive looking. Since it also tastes quite good

My italics. Typically Thai (sprinkle the surface with coriander). Nice veneer containing something 'quite good', and at 40/50 dollars a bottle, I'll stick to my Captain Morgan's spiced. Whenever a chum visits from the UK.

What is it with the Thais and booze? Great food, crap alcohol. ALL of it.

Edited September 21, 201312 yr by jpeg

7/11 sell a cheap rum(not whisky) called Saeng Som.

Does anyone actually like the taste of rum? Most I know hide the taste with coke or whatever.

When I was 15 I drank a bottle of Watson's rum in 1/2 hour. Man was I sick - put me off rum for years.

Thanks for informing us that you can buy Sangsom in Thailand's 7/11's....I'm sure no one knew that already.

Enough sarcasm?

I love the taste of rum particularly Havana rum. Anejo 7 is lovely. Great on it's own, on the rocks, with some ginger or with some coca cola, ice and lime. Tasty in cocktails too.

Rum is my favourite spirit actually.

What precisely is your problem, Spade ? I see absolutely nothing wrong with Neeranam's post - he simply passed on his own experiences with rum. Let's move on, shall we ?

The term 'Thai whiskey' is a misnomer - it usually refers to rum or occasionally a brandy (Regency is the only one of those I've tried), although the invasion of JW into Thailand might have muddied the waters for some. Whenever I mention Mehkong, some will roll their eyes and say 'No way - Thai whiskey - that stuff will take your head off !', and IME they are right. It's the only spirit that has ever caused me vivid hallucinations accompanied by a blackout to my actions in the 'real world' - admittedly, after mixing my drinks over an entire night of drinking. The fact that I dont drink at all in Oz may impact the end result in Thailand, but I can usually drink beer from dusk till dawn with little more than a headache to show for it. This isnt a drink to be taken lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekhong_(spirit)

It appears that the company was bought out by Sangsom in around 2010 and ceased production. It was almost impossible to buy a bottle in early 2011. However it is now back in production with a new English language label. In mid-2011 it was for sale at Duty Free Bangkok.[/size]

It's always interesting when you invite Thais to share a bottle of Mehkong - some will have one small glass and leave it at that (smart people!), others will wave it away as though you'd asked them to drink drain cleaner (even smarter), but the few who will join you seem to lose the 'carefree Thai' facade and it quickly becomes serious business. I have little doubt that those folk know what it feels like to wake up face first on the floor of your apartment with zero memory of how you got there - definitely not recommended outside your own apartment block, and even then I'd be very sure I could trust those around me.[/size]

That was the point I was trying to make - Thai 'whisky' is rum. IMO, anything spelled 'whiskEy' is not real whisky either.

Actually, according to the alcohol licensing board, Thai rum is made from sugarcane, so therefore is a real rum. Saeng Som is classified as a rum, or 'Thai whiskey' by some not in the know.

I actually thought that Sang Thip was more like a rum. I think this was replaced by Saeng Som, although if my memory serves me right, they sold them both for a while.

Edited September 21, 201312 yr by Neeranam

You a correct - it would seem that the SangSom mob cant really decide exactly what they do want to sell. Our experience with rum in Australia isnt positive - it's notorious for setting certain thugs off at nightclubs. The high sugar content really seems to fire the idiots up - particularly ironic as I currenty have 'Mutiny on the Bounty' playing the background

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rum_Rebellion

You know you're dealing with something potent when it can cause the overthrow of a government !

I can't wait to try this in a 'dark and stormy'. I wonder if Thailand also makes a ginger beer?

Rum is definitely my favourite spirit, albeit I'm not much of a spirits drinker, and although I like beer the sheer volume limits my consumption to a couple of bottles, generally. Wine is my poison of choice, but of course when I'm in Thailand the prohibitive cost of wine means that my choices are limited, so I tend to drink Saeng Som and coke.

This new rum sounds interesting, but what is the price in Thailand, I wonder? At $40 - 50 in the US, it sounds pretty expensive. When I buy rum here in Greece, I either buy Havana Club or Pampero (an excellent gold rum from Venezuela), both quality rums and both retailing at about €20. If this new rum is more expensive than that, then I'll stick to Saeng Som with coke and plenty of ice!

I would be interested to try it, though. As pointed out in the Forbes article, there is no reason why Thailand can't produce an excellent rum.

And there is also no reason why it should be any more expensive than rums from the Caribbean.

My favorite rum here in Thailand is Uncle Tom produced by Chaopraya

See:

http://www.chaopraya.biz/index.php?lay=show&ac=article&Id=422318

There is a rum called Similyn (sp) that is not too baf and not too expensive, but a white rum.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

That was the point I was trying to make - Thai 'whisky' is rum. IMO, anything spelled 'whiskEy' is not real whisky either.

Now, now Neers I beg to differ

What precisely is your problem, Spade ? I see absolutely nothing wrong with Neeranam's post - he simply passed on his own experiences with rum. Let's move on, shall we ?

No problem at all.

The OP was asking about a supposedly fine new Thai rum and then Neeranam decides to tell us you can buy Sangsom in the 7/11.

Who doesn't know you can buy Sangsom in the 7/11?

It's a cheap and nasty drink and clearly the OP was looking to get some info on a quality rum.

That was the point I was trying to make - Thai 'whisky' is rum. IMO, anything spelled 'whiskEy' is not real whisky either.

The term 'Thai whiskey' is a misnomer - it usually refers to rum or occasionally a brandy

Not all the bottles of spirits sold as whisky in Thailand are rum. They are often a mix of different spirits or some are actually whisky (or rum or brandy).

Thai's basically refer to all spirits as 'lao' hence why they don't differentiate much between whisky, rum, brandy etc and label it all 'whisky'.

Don't tell the Irish your thought on WhiskEy not being the real deal.