Kooksoondang's Sweet Potato Distilled Soju 'Ryeo 40' Wins Grand Prize at Korea Traditional Liquor Awards

Kooksoondang, 'Sweet Potato Distilled Soju Ryeo (驪) 40'./Photo by Kooksoondang

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Kooksoondang announced on the 18th that its "Sweet Potato Distilled Soju Ryeo (驪) 40" won the Grand Prize (Minister's Award) in the distilled liquor category at the "2022 Korea Traditional Liquor Competition," the most prestigious liquor competition in Korea.

The Korea Traditional Liquor Competition is a nationally certified liquor competition sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation. It selects and awards excellent products annually to improve the quality and competitiveness of traditional Korean liquors.

Sweet Potato Distilled Soju Ryeo 40, which won the grand prize in the distilled liquor category, is a traditional Korean liquor produced using 100% domestic agricultural products by "Agricultural Corporation Kooksoondang Yeoju Myeongju," a joint venture established by Kooksoondang, Yeoju City, and local sweet potato farmers in Yeoju. It was developed based on the method of Gamjeo (the old name for sweet potato) soju found in the Imwon Sib Yuk Ji, an encyclopedia of daily life from the Joseon Dynasty, to promote traditional sweet potato distilled soju.

Ryeo is made at the distillery in the Gangcheon area of Yeoju using only the high-quality main parts of fresh sweet potatoes purchased within seven days after harvest through contract farming with local farmers in Yeoju. The liquor is brewed using Korean nuruk (fermentation starter) and undergoes single distillation and atmospheric distillation, techniques used for premium distilled liquors, then aged for over one year in traditional earthenware jars. It features a sweet yet deep and subtle flavor unique to sweet potatoes, with a smooth throat feel and a long-lasting aftertaste.

Park Yong-gu, CEO of Agricultural Corporation Kooksoondang Yeoju Myeongju, said, "This sweet potato distilled soju, developed based on traditional Korean methods, contains a deep and rich flavor," adding, "Local farmers in Yeoju participate as shareholders, and by purchasing local agricultural products such as sweet potatoes as raw materials, we contribute to increasing farmers' income and creating jobs in the region, promoting coexistence with local farmers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.