The Story of The Mekong Gin Society

A journey that began with one simple drink.

It all started with a visa run to Phnom Penh!

It was the 3rd of January, 2000 @ 7.30pm — an ordinary day that would unknowingly plant the seed for something quite extraordinary. I had to leave Thailand for a few days, so I decided, almost on a whim, to pop over to Phnom Penh. I had no plan, no agenda — just the curiosity of a traveller and the faint promise of adventure.

That evening, I found myself at the FCC, perched on a stool overlooking the broad, slow-moving Mekong River. The city was dark and foreboding with twinkling light that only Phnom Penh could conjure at the time — a little chaotic, a little magical, and entirely unforgettable.

When the waiter approached, I hesitated. What would I drink?
For some reason, perhaps something I’d read or imagined, I thought journalists drank gin. It seemed fitting for the setting — a place filled with echoes of stories, whispers of history, and the hum of possibility.

So I ordered a gin and tonic.

The first sip was electric — crisp, cool, perfectly balanced against the tropical heat. But it wasn’t just the gin. It was everything. The view of the river below. Motorbikes buzzing by. The soft chatter around me. The feeling of being somewhere utterly different, yet strangely at home.

That moment became a memory — one that lingered long after the glass was empty.

In the years that followed, I had many gins in many places. But nothing quite compared to that first one on the banks of the Mekong. It wasn’t just a drink — it was an experience. A connection. A reminder that even the simplest gin and tonic can hold a world of feeling if it’s shared in the right place, at the right time.

And so, twenty-five years later, that moment has found its way back home — here in Cambodia — as The Mekong Gin Society.

A celebration of gin, of course. But more than that — a celebration of moments, memories, and the beautiful unpredictability of where one simple choice can lead.

Because gin, like life, is not just about the drink.
It’s about the experience.
It’s about the memory.
And sometimes, it’s about the city that started it all.

Our Home

Nestled in the heart of Phnom Penh, Mekong Gin Society blends local charm with global elegance.

Address

14a Street 163, Phnom Penh

Hours

10am - 4pm