PRAKAAN Distillery, Thailand's first authentic premium single malt whisky, has been named Best Thai Distillery at this year's Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC) — an award presented to the distillery that delivered the most outstanding performance over the course of the year.
PRAKAAN was created by Thai Beverage Group, an international spirits enterprise, blending Scotland's traditional distilling methods with Thailand's unique natural environment. The brand name derives from the Thai word for "wall" or "fortress," inspired by the "Diamond Wall" of Kamphaeng Phet — the historic city in central Thailand where the distillery is located. The surrounding forests are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the distillery draws on mineral-rich spring water filtered through deep rock layers, which contributes to the whisky's distinctive character.
One of PRAKAAN's defining features is its underground aging system. Maturation cellars are set 3 meters below ground, with earth banked up to 4 meters along the warehouse walls to maintain stable temperature and humidity. Thailand's tropical climate, with an average temperature of 32°C, accelerates the interaction between the spirit and the oak cask, producing whiskies that combine richness with tropical aromas.
Rather than aging by a fixed number of years, PRAKAAN takes a maturity-first approach — blenders determine the optimal bottling point based on the liquid's own level of readiness.
The flagship Tribura Series, inspired by ancient triple city walls and bottled at 43% ABV, includes three expressions:
Select Cask — The house style of PRAKAAN Distillery
Peated Malt — A smoky expression with a distinctive character
Double Cask — Aged in both bourbon and sherry casks
The Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC) is one of Asia's largest spirits competitions, evaluating whiskies and spirits from around the world through Japan's refined sensibility. Organized by the TWSC Executive Committee under the chairmanship of whisky critic Mamoru Tsuchiya, the competition aims to spotlight high-quality whiskies and spirits on both domestic and international stages, while fostering the next generation of whisky culture.
