 Sombai production workshop | |
| Industry | Alcoholic beverages |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Lionel Maitrepierre |
| Successor | Akim Ly |
| Headquarters | , Cambodia |
| Products | liqueur |
| Website | sombai |
Sombai (from Khmer: សុំបាយ – "some rice, please"[1]) is a liqueur manufacturer in Siem Reap founded in 2012.[2] Its beverages have become a national drink of Cambodia[3][4] and symbolic of Siem Reap.[1] Sombai is one of the most popular brands in Cambodia.[5]
The Sombai liqueurs were created in 2012 initially from rice wine by Lionel Maitrepierre[6] drawing inspiration from the Cambodian traditional infused rice wine sraa tram (Khmer: ស្រាត្រាំ).[7][8][9] The Sombai bottles are hand-painted.[1] There are 10 different flavours which are always a combination of 2 fruits or spices.
It is usually consumed either neat or on the rocks. Sombai infused rice wines is also an ingredient in several Cambodian cocktails[10][11] such as Asana Sling, Lemon Lemongrass Tini, Sombai Blue, Sombai Fizz, Siem Reap Monsoon, and Sombai Sour.[12] Several leading establishments in Siem Reap sell Sombai rice wine and its cocktails and use it in their cooking,[13] such as Chef Pola Siv at Mie Café[14] and the Park Hyatt.[15]
In 2014, a Sombai workshop and tasting parlour[16] was set up in the artist Leang Seckon's house, and has become a tourist attraction in town.[17][18] After 2022, Sombai relocated closer to the city centre and set up their workshop in a traditional wooden house in the Wat Damnak area.
