Whisky from Korea’s first distillery is set to launch in the UK in the coming days. The distillery was founded in 2020 and is now preparing to showcase their whisky for a global audience.
Three Societies distillery was established in Namyangju, north east of Seoul. The distillery takes its name from the trifold heritage of its founders - Korean-American co-founder Bryan Do and Scottish head distiller Andrew Shand.
The team bring a wealth of experience: Bryan Do entered the blossoming Korean craft beer industry following a career in tech; Andrew Shand has held leading distilling roles across the world, including at Speyside’s Glenlivet and at Nikka in Japan.
Named Ki One, the whisky produced at the distillery benefits from the area’s diverse climate. Temperatures rise to 30°C in the summer and fall to -20°C in the winter which, alongside seasonal swings in humidity, the producers claim accelerates the aging process of their spirit.
Shand predicts that the spirit matures 2.5 to 4 times faster compared to the Scottish climate. This results in a whisky that is assertive in flavour yet refined and approachable at a young age. As such early releases from the distillery - available exclusively in Asia - were aged between 13 and 26 months.
The Ki One launching in the UK has been bottled at 46% ABV following an unspecified aging period in virgin American oak casks. Virgin oak barrels were specifically chosen to complement the spicier notes of the distillery’s spirit’s character.
Bryan Do holds the belief that Korean made whisky should complement Korean cuisine. Throughout many Asian cultures, whisky is often consumed as part of a meal, rather than as a digestif as it is often regarded as in Western cultures. As such, Ki One’s flavour profile is expected to lean towards the sweeter and spicier flavours.
Whisky expert Billy Abbot has provided tasting notes for the Ki One release, highlighting flavours of chocolate, spiced shortbread, and caramel sauce over a spiced apple pie with fragrant polished oak on the finish.
Ki One will be released exclusively through online retailer The Whisky Exchange. Dawn Davies, buying director for The Whisky Exchange, said “we’re always on the lookout for up-and-coming distilleries from all over the world, so when we had the opportunity to launch Ki One in the UK we jumped at it.”
She added: “this distillery is one to watch in the coming years, with big ambitions and great potential. It’s exciting to continue to see more whiskies of quality coming out of Asia, and to be such an integral part in the story of Korea’s first single malt journey is something we’re really proud of.”
Ki One’s inaugural global release will be available from August 1st and will retail for £79.95.
