Inside Korea’s rising whisky scene – and the dram that stole the show

If Japan is the established voice of Asian whisky, then South Korea is the bold new apprentice, eager, inventive, and quietly redefining what great whisky can be. For years, Korean distillers have been experimenting in the background, blending centuries of fermentation know-how with a distinctly modern, confident approach to craft spirits. Now, that work is starting to pay off, and the results are genuinely exciting.

At The Whisky Exchange, we got a front-row seat to this new chapter in whisky’s evolution. South Korea’s whisky scene is still young, but what it lacks in age it more than makes up for in ambition. There’s energy and passion here, flavours that push boundaries, bottles that proudly wear their Korean identity.

It’s also a reflection of Korea’s wider creative confidence: the same culture that gave us K-pop, high-concept skincare, and genre-bending cinema is now putting its stamp on whisky. And trust us, it’s not a gimmick. These are serious drams, complex and characterful, rooted in craft but full of personality.

We tasted our way through some of the country’s most talked-about bottles, from Ki One’s pioneering trio of core releases to Kimchangsoo’s smoky statement whisky, plus a fascinating single malt from neighbouring China for good measure. But one bottle stood out above the rest: the Ki One Unicorn, a perfectly balanced marriage of smoke, sweetness, and pure Korean flair.

Ki One Tiger

The first release from Korea’s trailblazing Three Societies Distillery, Tiger is where it all began. Aged in sherry and wine casks, it’s rich, rounded, and sticky, full of dates, figs, and raisins, with a hint of walnut and leather. Imagine a Speyside with a Seoul twist: syrupy, slightly decadent, and unapologetically bold.

Ki One Eagle

If Tiger is all about sweetness and depth, Eagle takes flight in the other direction, lighter, toastier, and beautifully balanced. Aged in new oak and ex-bourbon barrels, it leans into malt, buttered popcorn, and toasty spice, with flashes of butterscotch and cacao. It’s the kind of whisky that feels designed for slow sipping, more Sunday afternoon than late-night dram.

Ki One Unicorn

The mythical one lives up to its name. Unicorn marries Korea’s sweet, honeyed style with a whisper of peat, giving it a smoky barbecue richness that’s instantly addictive. Although unicorn here is the name of the whisky in tribute to Scotland's national animal, it does not belong to the upper echelon of unicorn whiskies.

Think soy sauce and seaweed alongside crème brûlée and vanilla cream, a perfectly balanced sweet-savoury dance that’s unlike anything coming out of Scotland right now, yet that's the inspiration. It’s ambitious, complex, and full of confidence. If you’re going to try one bottle from Korea’s emerging scene, make it this.

Ki One 2021

A landmark release, the first UK-exclusive bottling from Ki One. Aged in new American oak, it’s creamy, nutty, and deeply satisfying, with notes of marzipan, vanilla custard, and dry oak spice. Uniquely, it’s made entirely from Korean-grown barley, a rare feat given the country’s limited supply.

Kimchangsoo Gimpo

Rich, smoky, and beautifully weird. Kimchangsoo Gimpo is a peated single malt that channels sweet barbecue smoke, seaweed, cooked meats, and dark chocolate, all matured in Oloroso, PX, Bordeaux, and quarter casks. It’s the most experimental of the bunch, and easily the most complex. If Unicorn is balanced, this is chaos, but the best kind.

China: Goalong

Okay, technically not Korean but worth mentioning for context. From China’s Goalong Distillery in Hunan province, this single malt is matured for five years in ex-bourbon casks, bringing hazelnut, honey, cinnamon, and a touch of smoke.

The climate speeds up the ageing, so it drinks older than it is, a promising signal that Asia’s whisky boom extends far beyond Japan.

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