Sombai Explained

Sombai
Industry:Alcoholic beverages
Successor:Akim Ly
Founder:Joëlle Jean-Louis and Lionel Maitrepierre
Location City:Siem Reap
Location Country:Cambodia
Products:liqueur

Sombai (from Central Khmer: សុំបាយ – "some rice, please"[1]) is a liqueur manufacturer in Siem Reap founded in 2012.[2] Its beverages have become a national drink of Cambodia[3] [4] and symbolic of Siem Reap.[1] Sombai is one of the most popular brands in Cambodia.[5]

Products

The Sombai liqueurs were created in 2012 initially from rice wine by the Mauritian Joëlle Jean-Louis and her husband Lionel Maitrepierre[6] drawing inspiration from the Cambodian traditional infused rice wine sraa tram (Central Khmer: ស្រាត្រាំ).[7] [8] [9] The Sombai bottles are hand-painted.[1] There are 10 different flavours which are always a combination of 2 fruits or spices.

It is usually consumed either neat or on the rocks. Sombai infused rice wines is also an ingredient in several Cambodian cocktails[10] [11] such as Asana Sling, Lemon Lemongrass Tini, Sombai Blue, Sombai Fizz, Siem Reap Monsoon, and Sombai Sour.[12] Several leading establishments in Siem Reap sell Sombai rice wine and its cocktails and use it in their cooking,[13] such as Chef Pola Siv at Mie Café[14] and the Park Hyatt.[15]

Production workshop

In 2014, a Sombai workshop and tasting parlour[16] was set up in the artist Leang Seckon's house, and has become a tourist attraction in town.[17] [18] After 2022, Sombai relocated closer to the city centre and set up their workshop in a traditional wooden house in the Wat Damnak area.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dunston . Lara . 31 October 2014 . A Taste of Siem Reap — Sipping Sombai Infused Rice Spirit . Grantourismo Travels . 28 July 2017 . 28 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170728233546/http://grantourismotravels.com/2014/10/31/a-taste-of-siem-reap-sipping-sombai-infused-rice-spirit/ . dead .
  2. News: Sullivan . Nicky . 7 September 2012 . Fruit-flavoured infused rice wines make a splash . . 28 July 2017.
  3. News: Rice . Jessica . 22 August 2013 . 59 national drinks from 59 awesome countries . Matador Network . 28 July 2017.
  4. Web site: 6 Local Liquors Around the World You Haven't Heard Of . Grant . Lara . 29 August 2016 . Oyster.com . 28 July 2017.
  5. Web site: Carruthers . Marissa . 31 January 2018 . 11 Local Brands All Cambodians Love . Culture Trip . 23 November 2018.
  6. News: DECOUVERTE - Sombaï, une nouvelle boisson locale à Siem Reap . Cassiau . Julie . 2012-08-24 . Le Petit Journal . 28 July 2017 . fr-FR.
  7. Web site: Associated Press: Rice wine spirit is rebranded as a tourist tipple . . 16 November 2014 . 2015-08-03.
  8. Dunston . Lara . Cambodian rice wine revival . 10 July 2014 . Gourmet Traveller . 28 July 2017.
  9. News: Starkey . Tom . 24 June 2020 . Distilling a new direction for Cambodian rice wine . . 24 June 2020.
  10. Web site: Khmer cocktail class at Asana . 19 February 2017 . Travelfish . 28 July 2017.
  11. Web site: Baussay . Céline . 22 November 2018 . Le top 5 des endroits à ne pas manquer autour d'Angkor . . fr . 28 July 2017.
  12. Web site: Khmer Cocktail Ideas . Sombai . 28 July 2017.
  13. News: Mathew . Elisabeth . 11 February 2017 . Move over Angkor Wat . . 28 July 2017.
  14. News: The New Tastes of Old Siem Reap. Osborne. Lawrence. 14 December 2015. Saveur. 28 July 2017. en.
  15. News: Cambodian rice wine . 31 January 2014 . AsiaLIFE Cambodia . 28 July 2017.
  16. News: Glasser . Miranda . 1 August 2014 . Taste Sombai rice wine purveyors open new showroom . . 28 July 2017.
  17. News: Eckhardt . Robyn . 22 July 2015 . 36 Hours in Siem Reap . . 28 July 2017.
  18. News: Ter . Dana . 19 August 2015 . Searching for serenity in Siem Reap . . 28 July 2017.

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