[Tonight's Convenience Store Drink] Three Colors, Three Flavors Under 10,000 Won... Value-for-Money Whisky "Teacher's"

Blended Whisky Launched at GS25
700 ml Bottle Priced at 13,900 Won
Recommended Neat, On the Rocks, or as a Highball to Suit Your Taste
From Malt and Peat Aromas to a Lingering Sweet Finish
Initial 30,000 Bottles Sold Out...Additional S

Editor's NoteThe COVID-19 pandemic has transformed drinking culture. Instead of company dinners or group gatherings, trends such as "drinking alone" and "drinking at home" have spread. In an era of high inflation, even a single drink at a bar feels burdensome. Convenience stores have become symbolic spaces that absorb these changes in alcohol consumption culture. Armed with "cost-effectiveness" and accessibility, they allow people to enjoy a wide variety of alcoholic beverages including soju, beer, whiskey, wine, and traditional liquor without financial strain. "Tonight's Convenience Store Drinks" introduces ways to enjoy drinking alone or at home with a level of satisfaction comparable to that of specialty bars, based on recommendations from alcoholic beverage merchandisers (MDs) at convenience stores.

Teacher's, gaining popularity as a cost-effective whiskey. Provided by GS Retail

Teacher's, launched in December last year at GS25, the convenience store chain operated by GS Retail, is a cost-effective whiskey. It is a blended Scotch whisky brand that has been recognized in Scotland for more than 160 years for its craftsmanship and excellent quality, and a 700 ml bottle is priced at 13,900 won. On online communities, users say that "you can enjoy it in various ways such as straight or as a highball at an affordable price, and its taste and aroma are outstanding for the price."

As soon as the bottle was opened, aromas of sweet vanilla and caramel rushed in along with an oaky note, followed by a smoky, peaty character. Rather than subtlety, intense aromas are dominant. Solbin Kang, alcoholic beverage MD (merchandiser) on the liquor team at GS Retail, recommended three ways to drink Teacher's so that its high malt content can be fully appreciated and the product's diverse flavors can be experienced: neat (the undiluted spirit), on the rocks with ice, and as a highball mixed with soda water.

For the neat serve, the whiskey was aerated for 5 to 10 minutes before drinking (a process in which exposure to air changes the aroma and flavor). The weighty 40% ABV fills the mouth, finishing with a hint of spiciness. Kang advised, "If you add a single drop of water, the malt aroma and flavor come alive even more." If the intensity of drinking it neat feels a bit overwhelming, try on the rocks to experience a more subtle and sweet profile. With this method, roughly 3 to 6 minutes after adding ice is considered the most balanced window to properly enjoy the malt and peat notes. If more time passes, the sweetness becomes stronger along with a gentle softness. You can adjust the timing according to your preference as you drink.

Highballs made with Teacher's are widely shared on social media platforms such as SNS. The MD's recommended highball recipe combines 50 ml of Teacher's with frozen grapefruit juice and soda water. The most basic recipe uses 30 ml of Teacher's, 10 ml of lemon juice, and 100 ml of soda water. On Instagram, there is also a highball recipe that adds a whole peeled tangerine to 50 ml of Teacher's. Among these, we chose the basic highball with ice. The gentle peat aroma and refreshing carbonation blend together without being too much or too little, making it an easygoing daily highball.

Teacher's has exceeded expectations in its initial market response. Within just one month of launch, the entire first batch of 30,000 bottles sold out, putting it at the top of the whiskey category. Among new whiskey products introduced at GS25, it recorded the best sales volume and revenue in the shortest period of time. The second batch of 20,000 bottles, prepared and delivered on the 7th of last month, also sold out almost immediately upon arrival. As a result, the difficulty of finding the product in the market has become an issue that needs to be addressed right away. GS Retail plans to secure an additional 30,000 or more bottles by next month to ensure stable supply. Another point is the bottle structure: when you twist open the can-style cap, there is a plastic inner stopper attached inside, and the liquid sometimes gets blocked there and does not pour smoothly. In that case, simply tilt the bottle and tap the lower part lightly once or twice.

Kang said, "Teacher's is a product that precisely targets customers who are looking for whiskey at a reasonable price point and is a case that confirms the potential of the cost-effective whiskey market," adding, "We will continue to discover whiskey products that combine both price competitiveness and quality in line with consumption patterns, so that we can further expand the range of choices available to customers."

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