IsaanMap of

HEAVY FLAVOURSDigestive

Join us as we take a road less travelled through the heart of Thai

Isaan.

From the sensory kaleidoscope of the Buriram Bazaar to the lazy

banks of the Mekong in Nong Khai, we tell tales of wanderlust

through a collection of handcrafted cocktails, inspired by the sights,

smells and flavours from this forgotten corner of the Land of

Smiles.

Let our map guide you through the evening, easing you on to the road

with a selection of aperitif cocktails before exploring the rich variety of the provinces and moving into the night with our digestifs. Or choose a different path and discover untold

stories of your own.....

From Isaan, with love Udon Thani

Waters of Nong HanSakhon Nakhon

The Mother Water Mukdahan

Gunpowder Plot Yasothon

A Sight For Sore EyesMaha Sarakham

Morning DewNakhon Ratchasima Buriram Bazaar

Buriram

Muddle Me SilkSurin

Garuda’s Flight Sisaket

The Isaan Express Ubon Ratchathani

Sugar And Spice Amnat Charoen

Beak to Tail Roi EtLate Night Tales

Chaiyaphum

Mr Chai Khon Kaen

The Legend of NagaNong Khai

Not for all the tea in Isaan Nongbua Lamphu

Tom Yum Collins Loei

Cha Yen Nakhon Phanom

Green Heart Kalasin

Summer Daze Bueng Kan

LIGHT FLAVOURSAperitif

From Isaan, with loveWe took the train North from Bangkok and straight into the sleepy heart of Isaan. My heartbeat slowed as we left the city and I breathed deeply, infatuated by the fragrances and the slower pace of life.

sticky rice vodkaIsaan vermouth

whitescitrus

pomelo perfume

59 QAR

Udon Thani

Not for all the tea in IsaanI have drunk much tea in my time, maybe a thousand cups, but I have never tasted anything quite like the pandan tea we drank here. Fresh, nutty, grassy and green, it was like drinking in the forest itself.

lime leaf ginpandan tea

rosellacitrus

coconut foam

59 QAR

NongbuaLamphu

Tom Yum CollinsThe elderly mae baan prescribed a bowl of tom yum soup to ward off the chill I picked up in the mountains, a remedy that has worked for centuries; the sour, spicy blast of chilli and lemongrass was just the pick me up I needed.

Thai chilli tequilatom yum

pickled plumcitrussoda

59 QAR

Loei

Waters of Nong HanThe boat slipped its moorings and drifted out into the dark, still lake; the mist parting slowly to reveal a watercolour of pastel pink painting the surface, as thousands of Nong Han lotus flowers welcomed the day, petals yearning for the newly risen sun.

ginlychee lemonade

dragon fruitrosella

59 QAR

SakhonNakhon

The Mother WaterSkipping the centre of Mukdahan, we headed straight to the Mekong riverfront for our first encounter with the ‘Mother Water’. We sat drinking Thai spirit with nothing but the lazy river and buzz of a long-tailed fishing boat for company.

Mekong whiskeypassion fruit

vanillamintsoda

69 QAR

Mukdahan

Mukdahan

Gunpowder PlotThe festival rockets let out a whistle as they flew up into the pregnant sky; a celebration of fertility and call for rain; the boisterous crowd scattering as gravity and homemade aerodynamics conspired to bring them straight back down again.

soursop vodkasesame honey

citrusgunpowder

aquafaba

59 QAR

Yasothon

A Sight For Sore Eyes We finally sat down for breakfast, eyelids weighted with sleep. We were brought local bread and homemade kumquat jam; the taste may have been heightened by 11 hours of breathing in diesel fumes from a badly maintained bus, but it was delicious.

vodkakumquats

lemongrasssweet basil

citrussoda

59 QAR

MahaSarakham

Morning DewThe morning dew welcomed us from our slumber, coating the botanical gardens in a gossamer shimmer. Sweet aromas hung in the still morning air, helping to heal the pains from the previous night.

ginsnake fruit

citruschampagne

honeydew air

59 QAR

NakhonRatchasima

Buriram BazaarThe atmosphere was electric. Exhausted from a hot, dusty day’s travel we felt invigorated by the kaleidoscope of colour, sound and smell. Every stall tempted us with new delicacy but it was enough for now just to walk through the market soaking up the experience.

vanilla vodkamango

coconutpineapple

citrus

59 QAR

Buriram

Muddle Me SilkWe sat and watched the mudmee weavers work their magic for hours. A traditional silk weaving village steeped in history, Baan Tha Sawang is a collection of wooden open aired buildings displaying silks of every colour you could imagine.

dragon fruitorange blossom

mangocitrus

39 QAR

Surin

Garuda’s FlightThe tuk tuk driver insisted we eat with him at his favourite restaurant; tucked away in the back streets of Sisaket we ate Som Tam and listened to fables of Garuda, a great mythical eagle and the symbol of sovereignty in Thailand.

lycheegrapefruit

citruspassionfruit

vanilla

39 QAR

Sisaket

The Isaan ExpressWe took the sleeper train to Ubon Ratchathani, a cloud of oily tobacco smoke filled the cabin as we were rocked rhythmically through the moonlight towards the Cambodian border, and our next adventure.

blended whiskeygreen peppercorn

ginger winecitrus

69 QAR

UbonRatchathani

Sugar And SpiceA bouquet of citrus pierced through the musky air towards our table as the chef prepared the spiced pomelo salad I had been craving all day. I will never forget the first time I tasted its bitter sweetness, I have become quite obsessed.

ginger cognacpomelo

citruspomelo salad

69 QAR

AmnatCharoen

Beak to TailWith only a few baht left in our pockets, we moved on to Phanom Phrai, earning our keep on a local farm. We lived off the village rice and ducks and were humbled to see how nothing was wasted; they truly live by beak to tail eating.

duck fat bourbonpalm sugarsoy bitters

duck fat popcorn

59 QAR

Roi Et

Late Night TalesFollow the red dirt track that winds up through the pomelo and jackfruit trees; nestled at the top is Mor Hin Khao, the Stonehenge of Thailand. We shared campfire stories amongst those ancient stones, with only the stars as our blanket.

jackfruit Camparipomelo

citrustoasted marshmallow

59 QAR

Chaiyaphum

Mr ChaiWe were charmed by Mr Chai, the seven-fingered snake handler from ‘cobra village’. His love for his snakes was obvious, his pride in his 21 snake bites infectious, his refusal to use anti-venom baffling. We quietly maintained a respectful distance.

Mekong whiskeybamboo orgeat

Cointreausriracha salt

hot basil

59 QAR

Khon Kaen

The Legend of NagaAppearing as soft points of pink light, the Naga fireballs rise silently from the Mekong provoking gasps of awe from the thousands lining the banks of the river. The full moon adds to the ambience bathing the scene in an otherworldly glow.

ginThai shrubpineapple

palm sugarcitrus

59 QAR

Nong Khai

Cha Yen The village of That Phanom is an immensely spiritual place. We shared cups of sweet iced Thai tea in contemplative silence with the monks. My companion turned to me with a wide grin; ‘this really is the Land of Smiles’, she said.

dark rumThai tea

cloveblack beanvanilla milk

59 QAR

NakhonPhanom

Green HeartAs we reached Kalasin, it feels like it hasn’t rained in months; the green heart of Thailand is cast in a distinct dust-red hue. Pausing for a rest we witnessed one village parading a statue of Ong Dam to encourage the rain. We desperately hope it works.

green applegingercitrusmint

honey

39 QAR

Kalasin

Summer DazeNestled in the far North-East, Bueng Kan feels like much of Thailand has passed it by. Chased by the midday sun, we were too hot to pass by so we bought fresh watermelons and coconuts from the roadside vendors and drank their juice in the shade of a palm tree.

mintcitrus

watermeloncoconut water

clove

39 QAR

Bueng Kan