Our Company
Nam Lee Cheong is among Malaysia’s oldest and largest homegrown importer and distributor of wines and spirits. Distributing to hotels, hypermarkets, restaurants, retail outlets and end consumers, Nam Lee Cheong moves an excess of 1,000,000 bottles per annum.
Our company is also one of the biggest distributors of locally produced spirits.
We have been a driving force of innovation in the Malaysian wine, spirits and liquor industry, from pioneering the concept of appointing dealers in the 70s to the development of the wine industry and classified growths.
We are constantly expanding our portfolio, venturing into new products, seeking new alliances, developing and educating our customers and associations as well as finding new ways to bring value to the marketplace.
In 1946, Leong Kin Nang and two associates met to open a liquor retail shop by the name of Nam Lee Cheong in Petaling Street. Few years later, Leong acquired the rest of the business to become the sole owner.
In 1970, Tony Leong (son of Leong Kin Nang) took over operations. In the next few years, he shifted the company’s focus from a simple retailer to a full-scale distributor of liquor and spirits. By 1978, Nam Lee Cheong was one of the major distributors for leading global distilleries such as Martell, Hennessy, Johnny Walker and Chivas.
In 1979, the company relocated to a larger premise at Jalan Sultan Ismail in the heart of the business district. The 1980s saw Nam Lee Cheong continuing its growth and expansion of its portfolio and customer base growing to be one of Malaysia’s largest privately owned importer and distributor.
In the mid-nineties, Nam Lee Cheong expanded its portfolio future by venturing into the wine trade and the company began importing international wines.
Nam Lee Cheong was awarded its first agency, Moillard of France. This continued to grow with Montes (Chile), Penley Estate (Australia), Tommasi Viticoltori (Italy), Graham Beck (South Africa), Bodegas Principe De Viana (Spanish), Domaine Schlumberger (Alsa), Warburn Estate (Australia), Chateau Barreyre (France) and Vintex & Les Vignoble Gregois (France).
Always looking to stay ahead of the market, Nam Lee Cheong then ventured into classified growths with French wine negociants such as Ulysses Cazabonne (owned by the House of Chanel) and Seignouret Freres. The company strongly believes that classified growths will be a key to its portfolio in the future.
The turn of the new century also marked Nam Lee Cheong expanding its portfolio to international Asian wines and spirits. Most notably were Bokbunja, one of Korea’s most popular wines and Kuaijishan, China’s largest and oldest producer of Chinese Shaoxing wine.
With Leong Keng Mun, Tony Leong’s son taking over the helm of the company in 2006, the company continues to follow its tradition of innovation, market development and integrity. The company has been aggressively modernizing its IT infrastructure, expanding further into classified growths, developing its portfolio and is now moving into a new area – the World Wide Web.
A traditional family business spanning three generations, we are grounded on strong professional integrity and traditional family values while moving forward in an ambitious yet customer centric approach
Our Products
WINES
Wine is not just a beverage. Wine, at its best, is capable of so much more. Wine can act like a form of art, creating a sensory experience that is greater than the sum of its parts. It can even be an emotional experience, for that wine is often the chosen accompaniment to meaningful events such as large wedding banquets to simple romantic dinners for two.
The best wines are those that most purely and transparently express the natural personality of its origins. Therefore, the job of the winemaker is to harness this natural expression and to get it into bottle without interfering too much. If a winemaker manipulates the wine too much, too much oak, too much extraction, it gets in the way of the natural ‘voice’ of the wine.
There is a place and use for all kinds of wines. Simple inexpensive wines are basic and lack a little depth but if they are natural and feel alive, then these types of wines have something to offer and is especially pleasing during casual get-togethers or to accompany light meals during hot days. Likewise for pricier wines, which are invariably more complex and long-lived, are suitable for certain key events in one’s life such as graduations and celebrations, and are most suitable when paired with a gourmet dining experience.
Champagne
Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle secondary fermentation of the wine to effect carbonation. Champagne is not only the name of the wine, but the name of the place that it comes from. It is produced exclusively within the Champagne region of France. Through international treaty, national law or quality-control/consumer protection related local regulations, most countries limit the use of the term to only those wines that come from the Champagne appellation.
In Europe, this principle is enshrined in the European Union by Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. Other countries, such as the United States, have recognized the exclusive nature of this name, yet maintain a legal structure that allows longtime domestic producers of sparkling wine to continue to use the term “Champagne” under specific circumstances.
Champagne first gained world renown because of its association with the anointment of French kings. French kings were traditionally anointed in Reims and champagne wine was served as part of coronation festivities. Royalty from throughout Europe spread the message of the unique sparkling wine from Champagne and its association with luxury and power. The leading manufacturers devoted considerable energy to creating a history and identity for their wine, associating it and themselves with nobility and royalty.
Theoretically the best way to produce the best champagne is to mix together the best features of all the best grapes from all of the different areas. Each area stores millions of gallons of wine from the various vineyards for just such a purpose. The blends are produced from these varieties.
Local Liquor
Our local liquor manufacturing industry have grown from strength to strength these past few years. Today, Malaysia boasts her own line-up of liquors and spirits ranging from beer to whiskies and wine. Nam Lee Cheong distributes these brands to suit local taste buds.
Health Tonic
The Raspberry Fruit
Bokbunja is a type of wild black raspberry that is native to Korea. In Asia, it is used for making traditional herbal medicine and health supplements to enhance stamina for men and cure diseases in women.
Legend
The name Bokbunja comes from an old Korean legend:
Once upon a time, there was a hunter who was lost in the jungle. While he was looking for his way out, he felt hungry and found some wild black raspberries to eat. After finding his way back home he relieved himself. He was so ‘energetic’ that when his urine hit the chamber pot, it turned over due to strong force.
The meaning of Bokbunja is:
- Bun, meaning ‘chamber pot’
- Ja, meaning ‘man’
Altogether Bokbunja roughly translates to ‘man turning over the chamber pot’.
Medicinal Benefits
According to an ancient Chinese medical book, ‘Bonchogangmok’, the characteristics of Bokbunja, is sweet, sour, slightly warm and alkaline. The medical functions of Bokbunja is:
The fruit is aphrodisiac, astringent, restorative and tonic. It is taken to prevent problems associated with disturbed liver and kidney functions such as frequent urination, premature graying, blurred vision and lack of luster in skin due to weak kidneys and liver.
Due to its outstanding medical benefits, Bokbunja is attracting great interest from the Western medical studies. Ohio State University, U.S.A. has recently completed a study and released an article on the antioxidant and anti cancer properties that black raspberries contain.
Bohae Bokbunja Wine
Bokbunja wine made from ripe bokbunja fruits further enhance the medicinal properties of these Korean black raspberry.
Bohae Brewery, a prestigious brewery in Korea with 56 years experience in traditional wine making has brought the natural medicinal properties of Bokbunja to life using fixed temperature fermentation processes.
In Korea, it has become a trend to drink Bokbunja wine as a health drink among its citizens. Due to their drinking trend, there is significant improvement in the health of Korean people.
Events and News
Bohae Bokbunja wine has been highly praised as a wine that showcases an enhancing purplish color combined with a superb fruity taste.
On the 18th November 2005, Bohae Bokbunja wine was specially selected to be served at the APEC ?005 banquet dinner specially organized for all leaders at the Busan Convention Center.
Bohae Brewery Co. Ltd. Delivered 500 bottles initially, but due to popular demand by the guest, a total of 2000 bottles were consumed during the function.
International Award
Bohae Bokbunja wine has also won a silver medal at the 2005 Dallas Morning News International Wine Competition which again proved its quality internationally.
Chinese Shaoxing Wine
Shaoxing wine is one of the most famous varieties of huangjiu , or traditional Chinese fermented wines from rice. It originates from the region of Shaoxing, in the Zhejiang province of eastern China. It is both drunk as a beverage as well as widely used in Chinese cuisine. It is internationally well-known and renowned throughout mainland China, as well as in Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
Shaoxing wine has been in production, since the dynastic times. Large quantities are made and stored in the classic Shaoxing wine container over long periods of time. It is also shipped internationally via bottles.
One can drink Shaoxing wine, but it is also famous for marinating meat dishes. The following is a sample list of common Shaoxing wine-marinated dishes. It is not limited to the following:
- Drunken shrimp
- Drunken gizzard
- Drunken fish
- Drunken crab
- Drunken liver
- Drunken tofu
- Drunk phoenix talon
Nam Lee Cheong is the exclusive distributor of Kuaijishan Shaoxing wine for Malaysia
