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Blend 285 Thai Whisky. Bangkok, Thailand. ABV: 35%. Tasted poolside at the Hyatt Regency Phuket, ฿140 (approx. $6.25AUD) from a 7-Eleven for a 345mL bottle.
Whisky a Day is on tour in Thailand for a short holiday, so it behooves me to try some of the local whisky. There isn’t much of a selection of genuine whisky, with many of the spirits being marketed as Thai “whisky” originating from molasses rather than grain (making them more like spiced rums).
Blend 285 Thai Whisky though is from the Red Bull Distillery (1988) Co., Ltd in Bangkok. It claims to be made through some “traditional blended Scotch whisky process”…presumably right up to the point where they’ve used spirit from outside of Scotland! According to their website, Blend 285 is a blend of malt whiskies from Scotland and “grain spirits”…origin unknown, but presumably distilled and/or bottled at the Red Bull Distillery here in Thailand. Another website described the blend also having “quality neutral spirits”.
Hmmm, initial impressions are not overly positive, but let’s not judge a leopard by its spotted cover. Brace yourself…there’s cheap Thai whisky to be tasted!
Colour: Bright amber.
Nose: Some pungent chemically alcohol fumes initially, slowly dissipating after a few minutes in the glass but always there. Underneath that layer there are some faint sawdust and freshly baked bread notes. Even after a while I find myself holding my breath a little as I take each sip.
Palate: Thin watery mouthfeel, a light honeyed notes that fade quickly to toasted cereals, woody flavours and tobacco leaves. Like chewing on an unlit cigar.
Finish: Somewhere halfway between salty and sour. Oak is the dominant flavour, medium length.
Comments: Blend 285 is best summed up by the classic quote from Blackadder – “it started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle and the less said about the end the better — but apart from that it was excellent.”
You can’t expect too much from a bottle picked up at a 7-Eleven store for only ฿140, but sadly it falls into the Whisky a Day “truly awful” category. The stunning sunset where I’m drinking it is the only redeeming feature of this dram.
At 35% ABV, some purists would argue that it isn’t really whisky given it has been bottled below 40%. In a hot climate like Thailand though it feels ok if you’re drinking it neat; however I’d recommend grabbing a beer instead if you want refreshment on a hot and humid day.
If it’s whisky you’re after, I suggest lashing out a bit more and picking up something from a more recognised whisky producer.
I like 285, it is blended with imported Single Malt Scotch Whisky, with soda on ice it is great 265 baht for a 700mil bottle
Entièrement d’accord. Le meilleur rapport qualité prix. Je préfère largement le blend 285 au Johnny Walker
It is really good if you can enjoy 1/2 pegs (up to 150ml per day max) you will enjoy it. Not very smooth but not even hard. Once you cross that limit……….You will spoil your next day.
Smug comments from obviously cash strapped individual! Not everyone can afford premium single malt scotch. To me, Blend still beats Red Label. Agh! Rough 🤮! I must say, ” matured in oak barrels” a myth 😂 in 28 years living Thailand, never ever seen an oak barrel!! … Who cares I love it!
It’s working for my highball! Ha! 😁 I used to drink blended whiskey in Japan as well — Tory’s ! A highball filled to the brim with ice is way better than a bloating beer on a hot humid day! 😁 An argument can be made that cheap blended in the best for Japanese style highballs!
Warning: Don’t drink Blend 285 without a mixer! But it stands in the name: Blend!
I’ve grown to love Blend 285 using Pepsi Max. Basically I’m not whiskey afficionado at all, but as a proper drink lover, I mix it until that “tobacco & gasoline ” taste numns down and it actually becomes that really affordable and tasty mix that is very low in calories.
Trust me, I’ve tried in Thailand price ranges above and under Blend, but this combo just somehow hits a homerun also price vice! Maybe little added soda too…
Not related to whiskey, but I may have discovered the secret of “Regency” Thai brandy: They age it in steel drums.
(I wish I could upload the image of the steel-drum barrel-couch I spotted in Pattaya Tai’s “Tree Town” beer-bar complex. I haven’t quite dared try the brandy, but perhaps during this visit I can screw my courage to the sticking-point.)
Thank you for this information about Blend 285. I’m over here in Thailand having a glass and I think it’s great!
This is the best whisky I drink no hangover nothing
This is the best whisky I drink no hangover nothing
One of my friend gave me this 285 bottle. Tested it and overall it is ok.
I definitely want to buy this whisky when i visit thailand this year end.
I’m a working class dude. Good enough for me with a little Schweppes!