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Korean Selection
Korean whisky is ambitious, pioneering, award winning, and rising fast.
Korea — The Dawn of a New Whisky Nation
Korean whisky is one of the most exciting emerging stories in the spirits world. Ki One Distillery, established in 2020 just outside Seoul by Bryan Do and Scottish master distiller Andrew Shand, has already won the Worldwide Whisky Trophy at the 2025 IWSC — the first Korean single malt to achieve this distinction. Using Forsyths copper pot stills, traditional double distillation, and Korea's extreme seasonal climate as a natural maturation advantage, Ki One is crafting whiskies that are fruity, spicy, and distinctly Korean. With Korea ranked among the fastest-growing single malt markets in the world, this is a whisky nation whose best chapters are still to come. Explore Korean whisky on Spiritory and discover the pioneering expressions from Asia's newest distilling frontier.
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Korean Whisky — A Bold New Chapter in World Whisky
Korea is the newest and one of the most exciting frontiers in global whisky. The country's first craft single malt distillery — Ki One, formerly known as Three Societies — was established in 2020 in Namyangju, just outside Seoul, by Korean-American founder Bryan Do and Scottish master distiller Andrew Shand. Despite its youth, Ki One has already achieved remarkable international recognition: the Unicorn Edition won the Worldwide Whisky Trophy at the 2025 IWSC, making it the first Korean single malt to receive the distinction. The Tiger Edition earned a Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. With its copper pot stills supplied by Forsyths of Scotland, Korean-grown ambition, and a deliberate embrace of the country's extreme seasonal climate as a maturation tool, Ki One is crafting a style of whisky that is distinctly Korean — spicy, fruit-forward, and rapidly evolving. Korea's whisky scene is nascent but deeply passionate, with the country ranked as one of the fastest-growing single malt markets in the world.
What Makes Korean Whisky Special?
Several defining characteristics shape this emerging whisky nation.
- Extreme seasonal maturation: Korea's climate swings dramatically between bitterly cold winters and hot, humid summers. This temperature variation accelerates the interaction between spirit and barrel, producing whiskies with surprising complexity and depth in just three to four years — a natural advantage that draws comparison to Taiwan's Kavalan.
- Scottish craftsmanship, Korean identity: Ki One combines traditional Scottish distilling techniques — Forsyths copper pot stills, double distillation, and quality barley — with a deliberate pursuit of Korean character. Master distiller Andrew Shand, who previously worked at Nikka and Glenlivet, has designed Ki One to express the spicy, bold flavours that resonate with Korean palates and cuisine.
- Award-winning quality from the start: Ki One's rapid accumulation of international awards — including IWSC Gold Outstanding, SFWSC Double Gold, and World Whiskies Awards Gold — signals genuine quality rather than novelty. These accolades have attracted global attention from collectors and whisky enthusiasts.
- A market primed for growth: Korea has been ranked among the fastest-growing single malt markets in the world. The country has moved from just two dedicated whisky bars 25 years ago to hundreds today, reflecting a deep and growing enthusiasm for the spirit.
Notable Bottles to Explore
These four expressions showcase the ambition and quality of Korea's first single malt distillery.
- Ki One Tiger Edition: Named for the Korean national animal, Tiger is Ki One's most popular core expression. Matured in a combination of sherry and wine casks for a minimum of three years, it delivers rich sweetness — ripe fruit, honey, caramel, and butterscotch — with Ki One's signature spicy finish. Gold at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
- Ki One Unicorn Edition: A peated single malt honouring Scotland's national animal, crafted from barley peated to approximately 50 ppm. Matured in new American oak and ex-bourbon barrels, it balances sweet richness with earthy smoke, dried orange peel, and cinnamon. Winner of the Worldwide Whisky Trophy at the 2025 IWSC — the first Korean whisky to achieve this honour.
- Ki One Eagle Edition: Representing the United States — the third pillar of Ki One's heritage — Eagle is matured in new American oak and ex-bourbon barrels. Full of robust malt, maple syrup, vanilla, and warm banana with a long, oak-spiced finish. Gold at the 2025 IWSC.
- Ki One Batch 3 Oloroso Sherry Cask: A limited-edition release matured in European Oloroso Sherry hogshead casks. Rich, fruit-forward, and deeply complex with notes of stewed plum, dried fruit, chocolate, and warming spice. Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and named Best Korean Single Malt at the 2024 World Whiskies Awards.
From the sherry-cask sweetness of Tiger to the peated boldness of Unicorn and the oak-driven power of Eagle, these bottles capture the ambition, innovation, and award-winning quality that are making Korean whisky one of the most exciting stories in the spirits world today.
For the Adventurous and the Discerning
Korean whisky represents the ultimate frontier for spirits explorers. For newcomers, the Tiger Edition offers an immediately accessible and rewarding introduction — sweet, fruity, and unmistakably different from Scotch or Japanese whisky. For collectors, the limited-edition batches and single cask releases from Ki One are already commanding attention in international markets, and bottles from these early years are likely to become valuable pieces of whisky history. Korea's whisky revolution is just beginning, and Ki One is leading the charge with a spirit that honours tradition while forging a bold new identity. Explore Korean whisky on Spiritory and be among the first to discover a new world of single malt.