Sombai is a family-run Cambodian rice liqueur workshop in the Wat Damnak area of Siem Reap, making hand-painted bottles of infused rice wine since 2012.
Wondering what there is to do in Siem Reap other than Angkor Wat? This short guided tour takes you through the working distillery, the maceration room where fruit and spices steep for up to a year, and the upstairs showroom of infusion jars. Then you sit down and taste.
You will try 10 flavours of infused rice liqueur and 3 alcoholic jams, with local snacks alongside. Bestsellers are Lemon and Lemongrass, Passion and Spices, and Banana and Cinnamon.
The rice wine is bought from families in the Cambodian countryside. Every bottle is painted by hand by young Cambodian artists, and the packaging is plastic-free.
Half an hour if you are busy. All evening if you are not. We are open after the temples close and into the evening, which makes this one of the easier things to do in Siem Reap at night without heading to Pub Street.
Children and non-drinkers are welcome and are free of charge.
Look for the red arch with the wooden house behind it, in the Wat Damnak area. Come any time between 11:00 and 20:00, there is no set start time. The tasting takes about 45 minutes and you are welcome to stay longer.
Look for the red arch with the wooden house behind it, in the Wat Damnak area. Come any time between 11:00 and 20:00, there is no set start time. The tasting takes about 45 minutes and you are welcome to stay longer.
