Best moonshine in Phnom Penh? Having spent a lot of time in Asia I was quite surprised by the lack of booze in Cambodia. Obviously there’s beers, such as Cambodia Beer , Angkor Beer and the worst of the bunch Ganzberg .
But what if you require something with a bit more beef to it? Thankfully most corner stores now sell Soju. If you don’t know what Soju is, firstly sort your life out and secondly read this article .
Rice Wine in Cambodia
Unlike China and Vietnam you will not see rice-wine on every street corner. In fact it seems that getting it is almost akin to doing a drug deal.
This was recently evidenced when 7 people died after drinking some “home brew”, which you can read about here .
Foreign liquor in Cambodia
You can get foreign liquor brands in big stores and of course there is Khmer Whisky. Do not drink Khmer Whisky .
These tend to be fairly expensive, but again if its what you want its what you want. In Siem Reap they actually make their own rum, which is OK . But what about Phnom Penh?
Best Moonshine in Phnom Penh – Jungle Cat
I have previously written about Jungle Cat in Phnom Penh, which you can read about here . It is by far the best Ukrainian/Russian restaurant in Phnom Penh, both for service and food.
But you are not reading this for food reviews, you want to know about moonshine right?
On arrival at Jungle Cat you are usually presented with a shot of cherry moonshine on arrival. I love any place that gives you a shot on arrival, even better if said shot is actually quite good!
But it turns out they not only offer lots of different flavours, but also sell the stuff by the bottle! The owner here is super friendly, so if you want to come in and do a little try before you buy then that is no issue. Although it will probably end up with you drunk.
What is this moonshine?
In many respects it is homemade vodka, something that most Russians and Ukrainians are very adept at. In fact the owner makes it in his house above the restaurant! So it is by very definition what you would expect from a homemade moonshine.
What flavors of moonshine do they sell at Jungle Cat?
The have a clear white liquor that is the strongest. This is basically home brewed vodka. My personal favorite is by far the Horseradish infused moonshine. They also have plum, honey, and a passion fruit one (I am yet to try this).
Its generally $1.50 per shot, but between 1-5 each day it is buy one get one. You can by a 25ml bottle for $5, or a liter for $20. The shots all come with a relevant snack, so an apple with the plum, or a pickle with the horseradish one.
Where can I get my hands on the best moonshine in Phnom Penh????
They sell it at Jungle Cat Restaurant. It is on street 110 almost by the riverside, next to a knife shop randomly!
You can also now buy said Moonshine at Embargo Bar. If you have not been to Embargo it is another must visit in Phnom Penh. They don’t make their own beer, but they do collect the best that is made in Cambodia and sell it. The bar is very cool with a rustic vibe.
They’ve recently started selling the moonshien here, which is a great change from beer if you are full, or simply just wanna get loaded!
