Surapornthip has been producing ‘Suttu White Spirits’ for generations and would like to share a traditional folk tale that inspires us.

During Ancient times, there was a hunter who lived off the forest and ventured into the forest every day. One day, he came across a flock of birds swarming over something in the distance. As he ventured closer, curious, the hunter noticed that a few birds would swoop into the thick branches of a tall Mahka tree. He discovered when they emerged from the towering tree’s mysterious branches they would be overjoyed.

        The inquisitive hunter was determined to climb the tree and unearth the secrets known only by the flock of birds. At the top of the tree, he found a pool of liquid on a strong branch. He watched as the small birds would land and sip the liquid before flying away happily. The hunter emptied his bamboo water holder of water and filled the hollow cylinder with the liquid elixir from the tree. He then climbed down the tree as it was beginning to get dark.           
         During his journey home, the hunter felt thirsty. He drank a small amount of liquid from the bamboo spout and soon felt it’s effects. The hunter began to sing and dance and wanted to share his magical drink with the rest of the villagers. He gave each of them some of the liquid from the bamboo spout and the entire village was alive with happiness and cheer. The village pleaded with the hunter for him to show them the source of the liquid that flowed from the bamboos cup but the hunter kept his secret.            
         The hunter sneaked away from the village in the dead of night and visited the same spot to find the tall Mahka tree once more. After bravely climbing the tree in the darkness he found the hollow branch once more and saw that the water contained chilli seeds, galangal ginger and rice lit up by the moonlight. He took a second cup, climbed down the tree and explored the area surrounding the Mahka tree where he then found Kor-pao plants, chili trees and a rice field in the nearby vicinity.
           Inspired, the hunter gathered galangal ginger, chili and other herbs and ground them before soaking the mixture with glutinous rice for a long time to produce a spirit called ‘Sutto’. Over a long period of time, the hunter perfected his Sutto recipe so that it tastes just like the magical elixir found in the hollow Mahka tree a long time ago.