News

Mekhong brings Asian spirit to UK

Mekhong, a premium Asian liqueur distilled with all natural Thai herbs and spices and fused with fragrant citrus, is being launched by ThaiBev into the UK this summer at a RRP of £14.99 for a 70cl bottle.

Distiled from a blend of 95% sugarcane and 5% rice, Mekhong is a well-balanced, complex spirit, which will complement flavour-some Asian cuisine. Its spicy ginger, toffee and vanilla notes also make it a great base for a range of cocktails.

“The UK bar scene is one of the best in the world so we expect there to be a huge demand for Mekhong amongst the style leaders over here,” said David Lind, marking manager, International Beverage, the international arm of ThaiBev.

“It’s all about discovery and inviting drinkers into an experience - taking them on a passage to Thailand through Mekhong. There is a lot of intrigue surrounding the brand, as we have seen already in New York where the mixology community has fully embraced it. Not very often does a drink come along that is genuinely new, different and authentic – Mekhong is a drink that is so versatile, you can rediscover it time and time again.”

Cocktails

Ginger Lime Long Tail
2 shots Mekhong
0.5 shot fresh squeezed lime juice
ginger beer or ginger ale
1 dash of Angostura Bitters
3 lime wheels
Pour Mekhong and lime juice into a collins glass. Add ice and lime wheels. Cover with a shaker tin and shake briefly. Top off with ginger beer and add bitters. Serve with a straw.

Sabai Sabai (Mekhong’s signature cocktail)
1.5 shots Mekhong
1.5 shots fresh squeezed lemon juice
0.5 shot simple sugar syrup
Finger pinch of sweet Thai basil
Soda water
Pour Mekhong and the rest of the ingredients except Club soda into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake vigorously for 7–8 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini-cocktail. Top off with club soda.

Thai Smile
2 shots Mekhong
1 shot fresh squeezed lemon juice
pomegranate fruit
0.5 shot sugar syrup
Muddle pomegranate (leaving over a spoon of seeds to garnish) and sugar
syrup in a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients, fill with ice and shake vigorously for 7-8 seconds and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with remaining pomegranate seeds.

History

The drink derives its name from the Mekhong River in rural Thailand. The first domestically produced branded spirit in Thailand since 1941, Mekhong grew in popularity in colonial times when the French attempted to divert a section of the Mekhong River away from the Thai border. The brand became associated with this time in history and became synonymous with Thai national pride.

Awards

• Gold Medal “Superior Rating” from the Chefs in America Awards Foundation, which named Mekhong the No. 1 Asian Spirit in America in its 2009 World Beverage Championship.
• Silver Medal from Europe’s Monde Selection in its 2009 World Spirits & Liqueurs Selection.
• Bronze Medal at the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition