Whiskey, How Far Have You Tried?

Tasting Royal Salute 21-Year Estencia Polo Edition

I really enjoy alcohol. The fun that the taste and aroma of various drinks provide is more diverse than any other food. However, there was one realm I could never reach: whiskey. The reason is simple. It’s the price. When you usually think of expensive alcohol, you might imagine something in the 50,000 to 100,000 KRW range, but whiskey at bars generally far exceeds 100,000 KRW. However, due to the impact of COVID-19, the trend of drinking alone or at home has strengthened, making whiskey relatively more affordable. And riding that wave, last Jeju trip I bought whiskey once while visiting the duty-free shop.

The liquors I saw at the Jeju Airport duty-free shop were mostly well-known brands. There were Royal Salute, Ballantine’s, Johnnie Walker, and I learned that whiskeys exclusive to duty-free shops sell out quickly once news spreads. After much deliberation on what to buy, I ended up purchasing the Royal Salute 21 Year Estencia Polo Edition, which had a beautiful bottle.

The purchase price at the time was about 200,000 KRW. There was a strange sense of emotion in buying such an expensive drink for the first time in my life. In fact, I had considered a budget of around 300,000 KRW, but since the dollar exchange rate was close to 1,400 KRW at the time, the merit of duty-free shopping was diminished, so I decided on a moderate price range. The Estencia Polo Edition is the fourth product in the Polo collection and the first edition inspired by iconic Polo countries. It is said to embody a luxurious lifestyle and the exotic atmosphere of Argentina.

In fact, Royal Salute is often sold as a gift because of its mild taste, so many say it’s not the best choice for ‘my own purchase.’ There are five types of whiskey, but broadly speaking, they can be divided into single malt made from one type of malt and blended whiskey made by mixing. Generally, whiskey enthusiasts prefer the distinctive single malts, while beginners tend to prefer the milder blends. It’s somewhat similar to coffee in that regard.

Seeing is believing. First, I opened the bottle and poured a glass. The scent that hit me immediately upon opening was slightly caramel-like, with a sweet fruity aroma that was impressive. After the sweet aroma, there was also the sharp flavor typically associated with high-proof alcohol.

Ways to drink whiskey generally include straight (drinking it as is), mizuwari (a Japanese term meaning mixing with water to lower the alcohol content), on the rocks (with ice), and highball (with ice and soda water). I prefer straight, so I drank it as is.

The most impressive thing was that even when rolling it around in my mouth, it didn’t quickly feel harsh. Even the distilled soju ‘Ryeo’ made from sweet potatoes felt harsh when rolled around in the mouth, but this was much smoother. After drinking, there was a warming sensation in the mouth, but it was very significant that I didn’t feel the whiskey was harsh or bitter while drinking it. According to Royal Salute, it features subtle cinnamon notes, plum jam, and rich dark chocolate flavors, but I couldn’t distinguish those details so finely; the smoothness and sweetness were the most impressive.

Also, the aftertaste was quite pleasant. Rather than a harsh feeling, the sharp sensation rising from the top and the lingering taste in the mouth made me want to take another sip. I felt like I was about to fall into the world of whiskey anew.

Photo by Seo Jeongjun