Today’s review covers something quite new: the first single malts to emerge from Thailand, thanks to Prakaan Distillery. While Thailand already hosts several distilleries, including the long-established Red Bull Distillery founded in 1988, none have produced a Thai single malt whisky until Prakaan’s recent launch. A few months ago, Prakaan Distillery introduced Thailand’s inaugural three single malt expressions. We had a brief opportunity to sample all three at Whisky Live Paris a few days ago, but managed to sample only two: the Prakaan Select Cask and Peated Malt.
Prakaan Distillery
Prakaan Distillery stands as Thailand’s pioneering single malt whisky producer, located in Kamphaeng Phet Province within the country’s UNESCO-listed Western Forest Complex. Established by Thai Beverage (Thai Bev) and launched globally in 2025, Prakaan aims to showcase both Thai craftsmanship and international whisky-making standards. The distillery takes its name from the ancient walls (‘Prakaan’ means ‘wall’ or ‘fort’ in Thai) that once surrounded the province, with the brand’s identity and marketing rooted in themes of heritage, provenance, and passion.
The distillery draws water from a spring located 200 metres underground. It imports both peated barley (peated to 45 ppm) and unpeated barley from the United Kingdom, milled using a Bühler roller mill with a three-tonne capacity. Mashing occurs in a 40 m³ stainless steel mash tun, capable of processing eight tonnes of malt per batch. Following mashing, fermentation lasts approximately 65 hours before distillation begins. Prakaan uses copper pot stills manufactured by Forsyth & Sons Ltd in Scotland. The wash stills, two ball-shaped units, each measure 6.58 metres tall and carry out the initial distillation. The second distillation takes place in similarly shaped spirit stills, each 5.59 metres tall. The whisky matures in warehouses located three metres underground, with natural ground insulation. Each warehouse accommodates between 30,000 and 50,000 casks. Prakaan employs distillers trained in the intricacies of Scottish whisky-making methods, blending traditional expertise with local conditions to craft its whisky.
Prakaan’s debut Tribura Series features three expressions – Select Cask, Double Cask, and Peated Malt – each designed to express distinctive layers of flavour and, as their marketing says, honour the site’s historical and environmental significance. Unfortunately, for today’s review, I just have the Select Cask and the Peated Malt, as I couldn’t get a Double Cask sample in time (I tasted it at Whisky Live Paris but couldn’t sample it at the end of the show).
Prakaan Select Cask (2025) Review
The Prakaan Select Cask, released in 2025, is a non-age statement Thai single malt matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 43% ABV as part of Prakaan’s Tribura series. It currently appears available mainly in Europe, notably at The Whisky Exchange, priced around £60 per 700 ml bottle. Given Prakaan’s recent participation at Whisky Live Paris, this expression may soon become available at retailers like La Maison du Whisky.
Colour:
Old gold.
Nose:
Neat: The nose begins with aromas of fermented tropical fruits, including passion fruit and bananas, layered with vanilla and honey. A subtle funkiness and musty earthiness add complexity and something unexpected.
Palate:
Neat: The palate mirrors the nose, carrying those tropical and sweet notes forward. Milk chocolate and a hint of wood introduce themselves, accompanied by a gentle pinch of pepper and fresh citrus. The mouthfeel feels somewhat thin, likely a result of chill filtration to suit the modest 43% ABV.
Finish:
Chocolate and woody flavours linger alongside a bright citrus tang and hints of white pepper. The finish is relatively long, leaving a pleasant warmth in the mouth.
Comments:
The nose does not suggest tropical maturation or heavy extraction with a high angel’s share; instead, it resembles a slightly dirty and funky bourbon-matured Scotch whisky. The palate continues this impression, feeling more Scottish than Thai. Considering the only other Thai spirit ever tried, Mekhong, this is a welcome relief. By building a distillery using Scottish methods, Prakaan has likewise produced a single malt in a Scottish style. It is a good whisky but perhaps lacks distinctiveness or unique character. However, this is not to be overly critical: the Prakaan Select Cask is well crafted by knowledgeable hands, and the spirit itself shows no faults – far from it.
Rating: 6/10
Praakan Peated Malt (2025) Review
The Prakaan Peated Malt, a non-age statement Thai single malt released in 2025, uses the same peated malt – or at least the peat – sourced from the same supplier as Knockdhu Distillery for its anCnoc whisky. Since Prakaan belongs to International Beverage, a subsidiary of Thai Bev, it shares ownership with Knockdhu. This expression is bottled at 43% ABV as part of Prakaan’s Tribura series. The distillery has not disclosed details about the casks used in its maturation. Currently, the Peated Malt appears available primarily in Europe through The Whisky Exchange at approximately £65 per bottle.
Colour:
Amber.
Nose:
Neat: Smoke dominates immediately, resembling Highland peat, but with a faint maritime character. After a moment, notes of hot coal and burnt herbs become apparent, but the ashy smoke remains most prominent.
Palate:
Neat: The palate carries the smoke forward, which is ashy and lightly sweet. Hints of corn syrup, herbal liqueur, spicy wood, and a touch of lemon peel add subtle complexity. The mouthfeel feels slightly fuller than that of the Select Cask.
Finish:
The finish combines spices and smoked lemon peel, with the spices leaving a lingering warmth. It maintains a relatively long duration.
Comments:
The peat used in the Prakaan Peated Malt, reportedly the same as that used by Knockdhu Distillery for anCnoc, feels too intense for this whisky. It’s unclear whether the distillery uses exactly the same peated malt or simply the same peat in greater quantities or with higher phenol levels. Regardless, the smoke overwhelms the spirit, making it difficult to discern the whisky beneath. While it remains a pleasant whisky, the imbalance of smoke prevents it from standing out. It feels somewhat flawed for this reason, but a score below 5 would be harsh – 5 out of 10 seems fair.
Rating: 5/10
Thank you, Tiphaine!