Jun Jinwoo
CEO of Gyeongbokgung Soju, a traditionally distilled soju brand in Doksan-dong, Seoul, South Korea
Introduction
I make Gyeongbokgung Soju, a traditional, distilled soju from Seoul. I started because I love alcohol, and as I studied and researched it in depth, I realized how diverse and complex it is.
I don't want to divide alcohol into good and bad, and I don't want to judge other alcohol.
We believe that everyone has different tastes and there is a drink for everyone, and we want to help you find the perfect drink for you.
What to expect while doing this
FINE SPIRITS IS GROWN, NOT MADE. That's our company slogan.
Good drink isn't made, it's nurtured. The microscopic activity of microorganisms through fermentation and aging means that it's nurtured, not just mixed like any other beverage.
It's like learning to wait when you're making a drink - if you try to make it artificially fast and easy, the flavors and aromas change immediately and it becomes something else. It takes a lot of time to make a single product, with specialties that require aging for as little as six months and as long as two years or more.
I feel like I'm learning once again that waiting is not just a waste of time, but an important process for inner maturity and growth.
Interview
Q. What are some of your most memorable places and experiences in nature in Korea?
Yeongwol, Gangwon-do, has a special place in my heart.
When whisky is made, it goes through a process called maturation in oak casks, and instead of using new casks, we sometimes use used casks, which can impart the flavors and aromas of the wine, rum, or whisky that first went into it, making the whisky more valuable.
Sometimes they're aged unrefined, sometimes they're drained of their liquor, sometimes they're chopped down, sometimes they're scorched, sometimes they're burned, and sometimes they're filled with another liquor and aged again. In this way, oak barrels have stories, and they've traveled to Korea from many countries.
We make wine from grapes grown in Youngwol, put that wine in oak barrels to age, remove it, and then put it back into our spirit to make whisky. A tree from France came to Korea, was scorched and burned, and held Campbell's wine from Yeongwol, and then met our Gyeongbokgung Soju.
The location of the Yeongwol Winery feels particularly natural, surrounded by mountains on all sides, and I'm impressed with the efforts of the Yemil Winery to make whisky there.
Q. What does nature mean to you?
Nature is an important factor in determining the flavor of a drink. Starting with the most basic ingredient, water, different temperatures and humidity levels affect the microorganisms during the fermentation stage, and different types of wood help to create special flavors.
Nature plays an important role in the taste and aroma of alcohol at every stage, from the raw materials to the production process to the aging process, and plays a huge role in shaping a region's unique alcohol culture.
Q. What do you want people to take away from the experience and healing you provide?
We want you to come in, relax, have fun, and leave with nothing in mind. We want you to let go of your daily worries for a few moments, focus on the drink, and make some special memories.
Furthermore, we don't just want to get you drunk, we want to provide an experience that allows you to fully appreciate and enjoy the depth and unique flavors of alcohol. By understanding how alcohol is made and transformed, we hope to help you appreciate its flavors a little more deeply.
It would mean a lot to me if today's class was the catalyst for a new way of understanding and savoring alcohol every time I encounter it.
Jun Jinwoo
CEO of Gyeongbokgung Soju, a traditionally distilled soju brand in Doksan-dong, Seoul, South Korea
Introduction
I make Gyeongbokgung Soju, a traditional, distilled soju from Seoul. I started because I love alcohol, and as I studied and researched it in depth, I realized how diverse and complex it is.
I don't want to divide alcohol into good and bad, and I don't want to judge other alcohol.
We believe that everyone has different tastes and there is a drink for everyone, and we want to help you find the perfect drink for you.
What to expect while doing this
FINE SPIRITS IS GROWN, NOT MADE. That's our company slogan.
Good drink isn't made, it's nurtured. The microscopic activity of microorganisms through fermentation and aging means that it's nurtured, not just mixed like any other beverage.
It's like learning to wait when you're making a drink - if you try to make it artificially fast and easy, the flavors and aromas change immediately and it becomes something else. It takes a lot of time to make a single product, with specialties that require aging for as little as six months and as long as two years or more.
I feel like I'm learning once again that waiting is not just a waste of time, but an important process for inner maturity and growth.
Interview
Q. What are some of your most memorable places and experiences in nature in Korea?
Yeongwol, Gangwon-do, has a special place in my heart.
When whisky is made, it goes through a process called maturation in oak casks, and instead of using new casks, we sometimes use used casks, which can impart the flavors and aromas of the wine, rum, or whisky that first went into it, making the whisky more valuable.
Sometimes they're aged unrefined, sometimes they're drained of their liquor, sometimes they're chopped down, sometimes they're scorched, sometimes they're burned, and sometimes they're filled with another liquor and aged again. In this way, oak barrels have stories, and they've traveled to Korea from many countries.
We make wine from grapes grown in Youngwol, put that wine in oak barrels to age, remove it, and then put it back into our spirit to make whisky. A tree from France came to Korea, was scorched and burned, and held Campbell's wine from Yeongwol, and then met our Gyeongbokgung Soju.
The location of the Yeongwol Winery feels particularly natural, surrounded by mountains on all sides, and I'm impressed with the efforts of the Yemil Winery to make whisky there.
Q. What does nature mean to you?
Nature is an important factor in determining the flavor of a drink. Starting with the most basic ingredient, water, different temperatures and humidity levels affect the microorganisms during the fermentation stage, and different types of wood help to create special flavors.
Nature plays an important role in the taste and aroma of alcohol at every stage, from the raw materials to the production process to the aging process, and plays a huge role in shaping a region's unique alcohol culture.
Q. What do you want people to take away from the experience and healing you provide?
We want you to come in, relax, have fun, and leave with nothing in mind. We want you to let go of your daily worries for a few moments, focus on the drink, and make some special memories.
Furthermore, we don't just want to get you drunk, we want to provide an experience that allows you to fully appreciate and enjoy the depth and unique flavors of alcohol. By understanding how alcohol is made and transformed, we hope to help you appreciate its flavors a little more deeply.
It would mean a lot to me if today's class was the catalyst for a new way of understanding and savoring alcohol every time I encounter it.