A message in a bottle out of the Mekong

Reward your curiosity with Seekers

Hailing from London and Barcelona, cities renowned for their premium gin, and with years of experience in the hospitality industry, Tania and Marco know a thing or two about food and drink. For over 20 years, Southeast Asia has been a part of their lives, and the region is now their home and a source of constant inspiration.

When they first arrived in Cambodia, the husband and wife team were looking for locally made premium spirits to serve their guests in the hotels and restaurants they were running. Surprised by the few regional representations for gin, they saw an opportunity to create a product that truly celebrated the flavours from the Mekong region that could complete globally.

The couple decided to build their own distillery and and make spirits with the finest ingredients sourced from the banks of the Mekong river.

We spoke with Tania at Seekers Independent Spirits to get her take on the things that make Seekers Mekong Dry Gin different and why it is attracting attention from around the world.

“Flavour and deep provenance is something that sets our whole portfolio apart. All of our spirits and now, liqueurs are authentic representations of the flavors of this region. Our Mekong Dry Gin, the first product we launched in 2018 is bold, fragrant and an aromatic gin that stars a collection of herbs, fruits and spices that are used throughout Southeast Asian cuisine but have not been so prominently used in gin before,” .
Tania says.

Seekers commitment to quality starts with sourcing the best ingredients. They go to great lengths to seek and foster relationships with farmers to ensure consistent supply of top quality botanicals, and they’re very involved with the whole supply chain.

Tania gives an example of this, “Our Cambodian ingredients come from literally all over the country – from Mondulkiri where we source Robusta coffee beans for our liqueur to Battambang for oranges in our Mekong Dry Gin and orange liqueur to Kampot for organic pandan, butterfly pea flowers and water from the mountains, and a lot more in between!”

Working with fresh ingredients is challenging as the process takes much longer than using dry ingredients. But the team at Seekers thinks it’s worth it and rewards their gin fans with a credible product.

Has the world reached peak gin? So far, it shows no signs of stopping for Seekers. With a wider range of award-winning spirits and liqueurs to offer customers. Seekers is startin gto creep into international markets, including Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Tania furthers this, saying that “Globally, gin as a category is still growing – in some countries, it might be getting closer to a saturating point, but in this region, gin definitely has a long way to go. we are looking forward to opening the European markets, with a possible shipment out to Switzerland before the end of the year.”

Seekers has also invested in a 2,000-littre energy efficient still which will enable them to keep producing the highest quality products and the capacity to service their planned growth over the next few years.
Ever mindful of the social and environmental impact of their activities, they have in place waste and packaging reduction programmes as well as water and energy conservation systems at the distillery.

Opening its doors earlier this year, Seekers Spirit House is the first garden-to-glass distillery and tasting room in Phnom Penh, with indoor and outdoor spaces for guests to learn, taste and experience the flavors of this region.

Head Distiller Alfie Amayo left his London gin making days for new adventures at Seekers.

Tania tells us, “One of our objectives with Spirit House is to create more green space and encourage biodiversity within the city limits. The Herbs, spices, fruits and flowers we grow can all be used in distillation, cocktail creation or in our kitchen!”

The distillery consists of three versatile spaces – the indoor distillery, bar and outdoor botanical garden – for allowing a range of private events that cater up to 500+ people. Join one of Seekers events or hire the distillery for your own unique happening.

“We are really looking forward to re-starting our Supperclub series and have some special collaborations in the pipeline, including a pairing dinner with the Kimsan team from Sombok. These pairing dinners are
a fabulous way of discovering how botanicals can be used both on the plate and in the glass. The menus showcase the wonderful ingredients we use from Cambodia and the Mekong through creative cuisine and cocktails,” Tania says.

What’s the best way to enjoy gin?

Tania has her own favorite, she tells us, “There’s a reason the classic G&T is so popular – such an easy drink to mix at home with no need for any fancy bar equipment. You can play with garnishing using things you have in your kitchen. Experiment and see what different notes are brought out with different gamishes.

“Personally, I love our Seekers Mekong Dry Gin, mixed with tonic and garnished with an Asian lime leaf. Our Jason Kong Gin is also a great base for a G&T, especially with its colour changing properties when mixed with citrus or a tonic! Garnish with a fresh orange wheel and lemongrass stick.”

Here are some of our favourite ways to drink Seekers liqueur. Whip up a cocktail or two and impress your guests at home.