Samai is Cambodia’s very own rum brand, and every Thursday night, the distillery in Tonle Bassac transforms into the city’s coolest rum bar. The distillery is only open on Thursdays which gives the venue a sense of exclusivity, like a hidden club for the initiated only. The people who find their way to Samai are mostly expats and locals of the more well-heeled, well-dressed kind.
I had a Tasting Flight which is a selection of their most popular rums. Samai is particularly known for Kampot Pepper Rum, but I liked the Golden Rum and the Spiced Rum better. All of the rum types I tried could be enjoyed on their own, but they also worked out well in mixed cocktails, especially the fruitier ones.
Samai Distillery, #9b, Street 830, Tonle Bassac, Phnom Penh
