6 bartender-approved spirit bottles for under B1,500 you’ll find in Bangkok supermarkets
Bangkok's top bartenders give us their picks for the best cheap rum, whiskey, vodka and gin in town.
7 years ago
See also: The Bangkok Booze Awards 2016
Milk Pailin, Vesper - Absolut Raspberry Vodka, B1,119/liter (Tesco)
“I personally like to mix it with 7-Up. Yummy!”
Davide Sambo, Soho Hospitality (Havana Social, Above Eleven) - Jameson Irish Whiskey, B1,449/liter (Villa Market)
“I prefer it neat, or with an ice cube, but it also makes an exceptional whiskey and soda or ginger ale, and goes surprisingly well with coconut water for those who prefer something tropical.”
Wareewan “Oil” Yodkamol, Freebird - Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, B1,135/700ml (Villa Market)
“It has a vanilla smell and tastes sweet. I find it very tasty.”
Jamie Rhind, The Bamboo Bar - Tanqueray Gin, B1,019/750ml (Tesco)
“This is the go-to gin of the premium gin world. The quality, matched with the affordable price, makes it a must-have gin in bars and drinks cabinets around the world.”
Jeremiah Forrest Reilly, Blaq Lyte - Campari, B1,122/750ml (Villa Market)
“It’s great with freshly squeezed tangerine juice.”
Niks Anuman, Teens of Thailand - Beefeater 24 Gin, B819/750ml (Villa Market)
“The quality matches the price. My personal favorite is Beefeater 24 with tonic.”
Essentials
Above Eleven. 33/F, Fraser Suites Sukhumvit, 38/8 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 083-542-1111. Open daily 6pm-2am
Blaq Lyte. 107 Sukhumvit Soi 31, 095 520 8378. Open Wed-Sun 8pm-very late
The Bamboo Bar. 1/F, Mandarin Oriental, 48 Charoen Krung Soi 40 (Oriental Avenue), 02-659-9000. Open un-Thu 5pm-1am; Fri-Sat 5pm-2am
Freebird. 28 Sukhumvit Soi 47, 02-662-4936. Open daily 5:30pm-midnight
Havana Social. Sukhumvit Soi 11, 087-066-7711. Open daily 6pm-2am
Teens of Thailand. 76 Soi Nana, Charoen Krung Rd., 081-443-3784. Open Wed-Sun 7pm-midnight
Vesper. 10/15 Convent Rd., 02-235-2777. Open Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; Mon-Sat 6pm-1am; Sun 6am-midnight
The Hard Stuff
We couldn’t find every bottle our bartenders recommended in the supermarkets. But we’re told this stuff is also out there for under B1.5K—if you look hard enough.
Diplomatico Blanco Reserva
Niks Anuman from Teens of Thailand recommended this one, calling it his go-to for a rum and Coke. Diplomatico’s distributor, Brand Connect, say you should be able to find it at Villa Market and Tops for B1,299, but we had no luck.
Kai Pandon Coconut Vodka
This vodka is made in Vietnam from rice and comes recommended by The Bamboo Bar’s Jamie Rhind. “Boasting great Thai flavors, it is perfect for cocktails and mixing with premium soft drinks such as Fentimans tonic,” he says. Try looking for it at Godfather, the Central Embassy wine boutique from Water Library Group. A bottle costs B890.
Frangelico Liqueur (Hazelnut flavor)
Wareewan “Oil” Yodkamol of Freebird says she’s bought this sweet liqueur in Villa Market and Big C in the past for around B900-1,100. We checked out the Villa Market on Sukhumvit Soi 33 without success.
Broker’s Gin
When BK Magazine did a blind gin taste test back in Nov 2014, this gin came tops. Jeremiah Forrest Reilly of new-in-town bar Blaqlyte recommends drinking it with tangerine juice. Though not in supermarkets, he says it can be bought at Wishbeer for roughly B800.
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