
SangSom (แสงโสม) is a
rum
Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced i ...
from
Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
, distilled from
sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
. It was introduced in November 1977 and has since become a dominant brand in the Thai spirits market. Over 70 million litres are sold in Thailand each year, achieving a market share of more than 70 percent in its category.
"SangSom Special Rum", as it is called on its website, is distilled from
molasses
Molasses () is a viscous byproduct, principally obtained from the refining of sugarcane or sugar beet juice into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, the method of extraction, and the age of the plant. Sugarcane molasses is usuall ...
. Its alcohol content is 40 percent by volume. It is aged in charred oak barrels for five years before bottling.
The drink won gold medals in liquor competitions in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
,
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
in 1982 and 1983, and again in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
in 2006. The medals are featured prominently on the product's packaging and have led to it being referred to locally as "SangSom Rianthong" (''SangSom Gold Medallion'').
The beverage is virtually unheard of outside Thailand. The manufacturers, SangSom Company, export to around 20 countries, but export sales account for barely one percent of total sales. SangSom Company is a member of
Thai Beverage Public Company, which itself is a group company of International Beverage Holdings Limited.
See also
*
Mekhong
References
Rums
Thai distilled drinks
Thai drink brands
Products introduced in 1977
{{Thai-cuisine-stub