BTS, BLACKPINK, aespa, IVE: You find me, Millie Milliken, at peak millennial status, trying desperately to cling onto the zeitgeist. And that right now is Korean, well, anything. From listening to the brightest stars in K-pop music to slathering my face in age-defying elixirs in the battle for eternal(ish) youth, Korean commodities are seriously hot right now.
So it felt only natural that when I was invited down to The Whisky Exchange’s London HQ to try its first ever range of sojus (Korea’s national drink), that I popped BLACKPINK on my headphones, slapped on some snail cream (yes, seriously) and went to see – and taste – what else the Koreans are excellent at.
Soju has been enjoying a bit of a ‘moment’ in recent years. Currently valued up to $5.8 billion with projections reaching over $9 billion by 2034, it is being driven by the global ‘K-wave’ interest and predominantly a huge export brand called Jinro, which comes in flavors like peach, grapefruit, and melon. In 2025, it saw its sales rise 41% in the first quarter alone, enjoying a Buzzball-esque frenzy among younger generations in parks, during festivals, and at sporting events.
But flavored soju is only one side of the story. Up till now, in the UK at least, this has been our only real exposure to Korea’s spirit, as getting brands outside of its home country has been hugely limited. In 2026, however, thanks to export agency and educator The Sool Company, we now have access to some of the myriad styles, strengths and flavors of the world’s most popular spirit.
So, let’s dig in.
How Soju Became Cool
Meaning ‘burnt liquor’, soju is a type of Korean ‘sool’ (a catchall term for alcohol) dating all the way back to the 13th century. Made from the likes of rice, grains (barley, wheat), and sweet potato, there are two core categories of soju: ‘Table-strength’ soju, which can be around 16%-25% ABV, and ’spirit-strength’ soju, which sits in the more traditional range of 35%-40% ABV and above.
Whichever raw material is used is cooked and mixed with water and something called nuruk. Nuruk is a block of steamed grains which, teeming with local micro-organisms, produce a mold that is essential for turning the starches into sugar to produce alcohol. This mixture is left for one or two weeks, before being distilled, and then rested or aged in a variety of vessels - ceramic jars, steel tanks and even wooden casks in some cases too. When it comes to flavor profile, sojus can come in all sorts of guises, from fruity and floral, to spiced and herbaceous, with a notable character of ‘funk’ coming from that bacteria-laden nuruk.
The category has had a long and turbulent history, dating all the way back to The Three Kingdoms (57 BCE – 668 CE). While making rice-based brews using nuruk was already common practice in Korea, it wasn’t until the Goryeo Dynasty (918 – 1392) that Eastern distillation began to see the drinks landscape of Korea transform and soju was born. Its own Prohibition, colonization by Japan, the Korean War, and a rice famine as recent as 1966 all had their damaging impact on the industry. The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a slow but lower-quality product emerge onto the market, too.
Why now?
Now, finally, it feels like soju is returning to its roots. In the past decade, younger, more contemporary producers have started to pop up and reinvigorate a market, while traditionalists are also looking to the past to bring back the heart of soju. Some producers are straddling both sides. Craft soju is emerging onto the market, driven by a younger crowd who are excited by distinct and design-led packaging.
Production methods like using alternative grains (and cooking techniques), aging processes and more unusual flavor profiles are just some of the exciting developments that we can expect to see alongside a return to the fundamentals of this spirit.
One producer, Sulseam, uses high-end rice and vacuum distillation in one of its sojus to create a beautifully light and bright spirit which comes in fun packaging; while another of their expressions highlights the omija fruit which brings its ‘five flavor’ character – salty, sour, bitter, sweet and spicy – to create a flavored soju which feels much more grown up than its green bottle counterparts.
Jinmaek, on the other hand, uses the oldest soju recipe on record using wheat as its base material to make its soju, working grain-to-glass as well as making its own nuruk, and bringing with it a spiced and citrusy flavor profile.
Elsewhere, J&J Brewery are working in a way that sees them produce multitudes of recipes for their numerous sojus: the one we can get outside of Korea combines rice and barley as its base materials bringing more richness of both flavor and texture to the table. More experimental even is Hwasim, which produces a non-traditional style of soju, using the likes of roasted rice and distillers’ yeast instead of nuruk to create something that speaks of soju with an unfamiliar edge.
How to drink soju
Alongside the exciting innovations happening around production, soju’s versatility when it comes to how to drink it is attractive too. Unlike a lot of Western-made spirit, soju is designed to be drunk alongside food – and neat at that. Depending on its base – barley might be more floral, while rice is sweeter – it can pair well with anything from fatty meats to spicy dishes. With most sitting at a wine-like ABV, they are traditionally served slightly chilled in small cups that are topped up regularly.
Take a look closely at some of the bottles and those with a twist cap lend themselves to a popular local drinking game which sees the bottle passed around the table with each person taking it in turns to flick the cap until it falls off. The people either side of the victor then have to take a shot. Inside some caps is also a hidden number – another traditional drinking game where drinkers have to guess it.
Soju can be mixed as well, especially those in the ‘spirit-strength’ category, which benefit from a higher ABV, making them much more cocktail-friendly. It can also be served mixed with beer (maekju) – popular in Korea and called somaek – with a very simple 30/70 soju to beer ratio. Bottles come in smaller formats meaning you don’t have to invest huge amounts of money to give them all a try and find your favorite.
However you drink it, soju is the spirits category to get to know - right now.
Three to Try
Sulseam Mir Light Soju - 25% ABV
A perfect introduction to the category and a good one to try with food, this super bright and light soju from Sulseam’s dragon range is sweet, delicate and indicative of the kind of soju being drunk around tables and at parties in Korea. It looks great too.
Jinmaek 53 Wheat Soju - 53% ABV
The variation of the wheat soju made using a traditional recipe shows how higher ABV in soju can really turn up the volume when it comes to flavor and texture. Using organic grain from the south of Korea, it brings citrus and spice to the table - great for cocktails.
Hwasim Roasted Rice Soju - 40% ABV
Something a little bit different using rice that has been roasted before it is fermented using distillers’ yeast, this soju is a bridge between Western and Eastern distilling methods and is a great example of where innovation in soju can lie. The result is something spicier and smokier than its more traditional counterparts, but with a rich and silky texture and a slight earthiness too. This one’s a sipper.
Tasting Notes
The World of Fine Spirits tasting panel brings you the latest from the Tasting Notes library, from vintage bottles to new releases.
Star Hill Farm Wheat Whisky, 2026 Release
This wheat whisky takes a minute to open up in the glass, but when it does, it is a consummate expression of this style of whisky. Bags of dried fruit like figs and cherries are immediate on the nose, followed by some rich nutty sweetness as well as an earthy coffee note, like a latte with some creaminess. The palate is mouth-coating and spices immediately start to warm up the palate, while some leather and depth complement those brighter, fruitier notes. The finish is perhaps the most surprising – this is where this whisky takes on another, evolved character: brighter orchard fruits like pear and cooked apples, the continuation of those heady spices, and some bitterness of cacao nibs too which take this whisky to another level. Transformative stuff, indeed.
