Ampov Distillery

Ampov is the rum distillery on National Road 2, in Tuol Roka, Mean Chey. Pure cane juice pressed the day it is cut, two copper stills, and a one-hour visit by reservation.

National Road 2

The distillery is on National Road 2, Phum Tuol Roka, Chak Angrae Kraom, Khan Mean Chey. It is open every day from 9:00 to 17:00. The guided visit lasts one hour: the cellar, the stills and a tasting. It costs $5 per person, taken off the bill if you leave with bottles, and is by reservation only. Phone: +855 92 754 960. Email: contact@ampov-distillery.com.

The cane

Ampov uses an endemic cane it calls canne Poivre, cut by hand, without burning the field, and pressed the same day. Growers Yeap and Sophra farm it on a family plot of about 10 hectares, east of Phnom Penh. The house also uses a local molasses from a sugar mill in the north of the country. No added sugar, no additives, no coloring.

The rums

The year-round range is a pure-juice white rum and two ambers: ex-port cask and ex-cognac cask. The collection adds Wild white (spontaneous fermentation), the Kampra blend, Cuvée Route d’Angkor, Barrique Sauvage and an amber from a vino santo cask. Distillation is on two copper stills from Alsace, a 120-litre Holstein and a 600-litre Gillain. Aged rums rest in the tropical Sabay cellar.