What better way to enjoy the tropical taste of an island holiday destination than a delicious handcrafted cocktail?
Phuket now has a blossoming number of classy, edgy bars exuding style and elegance, where skilled bartenders, equipped with the finest top-quality spirits, push the boundaries of mixology to create uniquely scrumptious cocktails.
Club No 43
One of the first lounge bars to embrace the mixology scene is Club No 43, this place is full of character, don’t be surprised if your drink is served in a tin cup or even a teapot. Take your pick from the imaginative array of cocktails, some classic and others with an Asian twist.
Local ingredients have been trending in Thailand’s mixology scene for a while now and this is reflected in the ‘43 Old Town’ cocktail. Vodka infused with ingredients you’d normally find in tom yam soup, including ginger, galangal and lemongrass, topped with fresh mango and passion fruit, it’s actually very good!
Dibuk House
Right at the heart of the old town, Dibuk House take their handcrafted-cocktails seriously, proud of the fact they were amongst the top ten in the Diageo World Class Thailand 2018, the most prestigious bartender competition in Thailand.
Soak up the snug, old-school ambiance whilst watching the waistcoat-clad bartenders work their magic creating classic recipes with an inspired twist.
The favourite cocktail of the house is ‘Last Living to Survive’, a mix of Beefeater’s gin, crème de cacao white and Thai tea. For the more daring, you won’t find anything more original than ‘The Last Samurai’, a fascinating infusion of American’s bourbon with fat-washed peanut butter mixed with Japanese ingredients and served with seaweed.
Chalong Bay Rum Distillery
Over at Chalong Bay spend a fun afternoon in the distillery sampling the tasty rum, made from 100% natural sugarcane sourced from local Thai farmers, and learn about the rum-making process with a guided tour. Take part in a masterclass to learn the secrets of cocktail making and whip up a mojito for your friends when you go home.
After all that hard work, indulge yourself with a taste of rum cocktails at the bar, ‘Thai Fling’ has red chili, mint, and sweet basil leaves to give it that Asian influence, whilst ‘Lady Lychee’ is a fresh combination of lemongrass, lychee, and rum.
Cosmo Bar
Catch Beach Club
When the sun is shining and the ocean beckons in Bang Tao, a beach cocktail at Catch Beach Club is the perfect afternoon activity. Soak up the chilled-out vibe from a full-service cabana, order something from the á la carte menu, and cool off in the infinity pool.
Indulge in a sunset ‘Sly Thai’ handcrafted cocktail, as inventive as it is delicious with a mix of Tanqueray gin, limoncello and pineapple juice.
