Bangkok's top bartenders reveal their most prized bottles
Where to try the city's best and rarest small-batch imports.
9 years ago
See also: 15 bars in Bangkok with awesome booze collections
Dodd’s Gin
Recommended by: Passapong “Bard” Phetpradit, owner of Junker & Bar
The bottle: A London dry gin that’s made by the London Distillery Company from juniper berries, angelica, fresh lime peel, bay laurel, cardamom, red raspberry leaf and honey.
Bard says: "Gin is our specialty, we have about 50 bottles, whereas in Thailand there are only like 20 brands available. Dodd's Gin is my favorite right now. I love the flavor with tonic. We serve it in our own style, not just with lime but by choosing the fruit that matches the botanicals of the gin. This can really make the flavor come out. For Dodd's, we serve our gin and tonic with orange peel and rosemary. Whenever my shelf gets low I travel to Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia or India to get more."
Try: Dodd's Gin and Tonic (B360)
Xenta Superior Absinthe
Recommended by: Chavin “Kwan” Nantaterm, owner of Black Amber Social Club
The bottle: This Italian-made absinthe contains a pretty standard ABV of 70 percent, while the bottle comes with wormwood twigs in it.
Kwan says: “Wormwood is the main ingredient of absinthe and because of its high level of thujone it’s also used for medical purposes. Absinthe lovers aren’t really focused on a bottle’s ABV but rather the amount of thujone it contains, as that’s what gets you high. Actually, it’s part of the reason why absinthe was banned in France for so long—the government claimed the hallucinations were a threat to society. This bottle is next-level because it contains wormwood twigs in it, which doesn’t affect the taste so much, but makes it better with age.”
Try: Xena Superior (B450)
Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 25 Years Old
Recommended by: Naoto Shibata, bartender at Yoichi Nikka
The bottle: First released in 2012, this Japanese blended malt whiskey from Nikka’s Taketsuru range is made from malts aged in an oak cask for at least 25 years, in super-limited supplies.
Naoto says: “Yoichi Nikka specializes in Nikka whiskey, with many bottles you can’t find elsewhere in Bangkok. We’re the only place where you can try Taketsuru Pure Malt 25 Year Old. The whiskey spends 25 years in an oak cask and is normally produced in very small amounts—for example, as few as 100 bottles are made available in Europe. The taste is very smooth, rich in floral aroma, a bit spicy with a hint of peat. Thai customers love ordering whiskey with either ice or a dash of water, but for this one I’d recommend going straight up."
Try: Straight (B2,000/shot)
Basil Hayden Bourbon
Recommended by: David Jacobsen, owner of Smalls
The bottle: This bourbon from Kentucky is said to have a unique character owing to a much higher-than-usual rye content
David says: “I'm fond of Basil Hayden Bourbon Whiskey. It can be served on the rocks or in any bourbon-based cocktail. Try it in a Manhattan with just a dash of absinthe. Great bourbons are hard to find in Bangkok. Basil Hayden is a very excellent one.”
Try: Manhattan with Basil Hayden Bourbon
Bulldog London Dry Gin
Recommended by: Karn Liangsrisuk, owner of Escapade Burgers & Shakes
The bottle: Four-times-distilled in copper pot stills, the gin is made from a blend of 12 botanicals, namely dragon eye, lotus leaves, lavender, white poppy, lemon, liquorice, orris, angelica, cassia, coriander and almond, on top of Italian juniper.
Karn says: “Bulldog was actually imported a few years ago, but distributed to only one hotel. It turned out unsuccessful, so the distributor retailed the remaining bottles of the final batch at Foodland, at a very cheap price, even cheaper than hand-carrying. That’s how I was able to stock up on it. I like its fresh, botanical nature and subtle sweet flavor. The taste is unique, different from gins of the same grade like Tanqueray. Replacing market tonics with the mellower East Imperial Burma tonic allows the gin’s character to shine even more.”
Try: Bulldog with East Imperial Burma tonic (B550).
Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal
Recommended by: Chotipong Leenutaphong, owner of Vesper
The bottle: Referred to alternately as “tequila’s poor cousin” or “tequila on steroids,” mezcal is currently enjoying some time in the limelight. While tequila is made, by law, only from the blue agave plant, mezcal can be made from 30-plus different varieties of agave, which gives it even more depth and kick. This particular bottle is made in the single village of Chichicapa, two hours south of Oaxaca in Mexico.
Chotipong says: “Mezcal is still a rarity among cocktail bars in Bangkok, but that should change as it’s getting a lot of coverage in New York and London. For us, we like that mezcal adds extra dimensions to classic cocktails. This rare-to-find bottle has a great early depth and smokiness to it—it’s something that showcases what mezcal is all about. It’s actually a great alternative to Islay single malt whiskey and we also find it works well replacing the gin in the classic Vesper and Last Word. Both these drinks taste phenomenal with the smokiness that mezcal brings to the table.”
Try: Vesper (B470) and Last Word (B420)
Tequila Ocho
Recommended by: Sebastian De La Cruz, head bartender at U.N.C.L.E.
The bottle: White tequila made using roughly eight kilograms of agave per bottle, and aged for eight weeks and eight days.
Sebastian says: I really like this one. It’s a very smooth, well-crafted tequila blanco. And the price is reasonable too. It’s just so smooth, and the agave—that’s the plant you make tequila from—really comes through. It’s also pretty easy to get here thanks to a distributor called Artisan which is bringing in more craft spirits. Soon we will be adding a Manzanita cocktail to the U.N.C.L.E. menu, made using tequila Ocho and Calvados. It has a lot of apple flavor that goes well with the agave—it’s an awesome stiff drink."
Try: Manzanita (exact price TBC but under B400)
Plymouth Gin
Recommended by: Niks Anuman-Rajadhon, co-founder of Teens of Thailand and Drinks Academy
The bottle: Produced by England’s oldest working distillery, this gin has strong notes of juniper berries, coriander and cardamom.
Niks say: "This brand is a category or style of gin in itself. Nothing else tastes like Plymouth Gin.
With its subtle aroma and earthy tones, it’s not too flashy like the more ‘elegant’ new gins. It’s got a very smooth mouthfeel and a creamy and smooth finish that really lingers. To summarize, it's a very good, no-bullshit gin with a really balanced flavor profile. It was also Winston Churchill's favorite gin, and he had quite a taste for alcohol."
Try: The menu at Teens of Thailand is always changing, but Niks recommends having it in a martini (stirred not shaken) with a nice dry vermouth, or a gin and tonic—just be sure you use a decent tonic, like East Imperials Tonic, which is imported by Smiling Mad Dog Co. (the same guys who bring in Brew Dog beer).
Talisker 10 Year Old
Recommended by: Ronnaporn "Nueng" Kanivichaporn, co-owner/mixologist of Roof Hideaway
The bottle: Single malt whiskey from Isle of Skye, Scotland.
Nueng says: "It's not a new bottle, but for some reason it's very hard to find these days. In Thailand, it's imported by Diageo but served in a very limited number of places. Even at the airport duty free zone, you can't find the exact one. I like the bottle’s smoky character that pairs well with fruity notes—it’s very complex. Talisker is the sole distillery on the Isle of Skye, where it picks up a salty or peaty flavor from the island air.”
Try: In cocktails, Nueng says Talisker is best mixed in a whiskey sour because its saltiness nicely compliments the sweet and sour notes. You’ll have to check its availability behind the bar, though.
Roof Hideaway, 3/F, Muse Thonglor, 159/8 Thonglor Soi 10, 087-888-5599
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