Sustainability
Our distillery is committed to sustainability through every stage of production — from sourcing local, to minimizing waste and reducing energy consumption.
Land & Biodiversity
Chiang Dao sits in the shadow of one of Northern Thailand's most significant limestone mountains, and the farms we work with sit within that same landscape. We avoid clearing healthy tree cover. The same orchards that provide the deadwood we use for firewood also support the birds, insects, and soil life that keep the surrounding land productive. Protecting this land isn't separate from making good spirit. The terroir we distill depends on it staying healthy for generations to come
Energy Management
We utilize firewood only from trees that are dead and need to be removed from orchards around Chiang Dao. We air dry them until the moisture content drops below 15%, allowing for a clean efficient burn.
Water Stewardship
Water touches every stage of what we do, from irrigation in the fields to fermentation, distillation, and cooling. Our closed-loop cooling system, built around an 8,000-litre tank, uses natural evaporative cooling to draw far less water than a standard open system. We're working to bring the same discipline to every stage of production, not just cooling.
Community & Livelihoods
Every farm we source from is run by families who have worked this land for generations, not contract growers. Sourcing this way costs more than buying on the open market. We think it's worth it, both for the quality it gives us and for the relationships it builds.
Circular Byproducts
Distilling produces more than spirit. Spent fermentation, the solid material left behind after distillation goes directly to local farmers as feed and soil amendment rather than to waste. Leftover rice is trucked to a nearby farm, where it's eaten by geese rather than discarded. Almost nothing that comes out of our production process leaves the property as waste.
FAQs
Is Choeng Doi organic or certified sustainable?
We aren't yet certified organic, the certification process takes up to 7 years, and we're well on the way. All of our current practices already revolve around organic principles.
Where does your water come from?
Our water comes from four different springs: two surface right at the famous Wat Tham Chiang Dao, one on the northern flank of the mountain, and one in Thung Lakorn's managed forest area. We don't draw directly from the stream — a 12-metre well naturally filters out larger particles before the water reaches us.
What happens to waste from production?
Spent distillation liquid is processed into fertiliser and given to local farmers, leftover rice goes to a nearby farm for animal feed, and methanol is mixed with vinegar to create an anti-fungal spray for tree branches and trunks.
