Wando-gun's 'Hwangchil Yakju' Wins Grand Prize at Korea Alcohol Awards

Premium Medicinal Liquor Blending Wando Specialty Hwangchil Tree Benzoin and Jaga Nuruk Aroma

Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 11th that ‘Jangbogo-ui Kkum, Hwangchil Yakju,’ produced by the local liquor company Gogeum Brewery, won the grand prize in the traditional liquor categories of Yakju and Cheongju at the 2024 Korea Liquor Awards.

The 2024 Korea Liquor Awards, held by Chosun Biz since 2014, is a liquor competition that selects the best liquor by category through evaluations by a professional liquor tasting panel. This year, 218 companies and a total of 1,061 brands participated.

‘Jangbogo's Dream, Hwangchil Yakju’ won the Grand Prize in the Traditional Liquor category for Yakju and Cheongju at the 2024 Korea Liquor Awards.
[Photo by Wando-gun]

‘Jangbogo-ui Kkum, Hwangchil Yakju’ is a samyangju (triple-fermented liquor) made by grinding domestically grown organic wheat to produce homemade nuruk and fermenting it three times with Wando rice. It is a premium yakju distinguished by the blend of the balsam scent of the Hwangchil tree, a specialty product of Wando, and the aroma of homemade nuruk.

Bae Junhyun, CEO of Gogeum Brewery, said, “This award is especially meaningful as it helps promote the excellence of local specialties through traditional liquor made with Wando rice and the Hwangchil tree,” adding, “We will strive further to establish Hwangchil Yakju as a representative traditional liquor of the region.”

Park Changhee, Director of the Agriculture and Livestock Division, stated, “We will actively discover products using local agricultural products, not only traditional liquors, to contribute to increasing farmers’ income and advancing agriculture.”

Meanwhile, Gogeum Brewery is a local heritage company continuing its family business into the second generation, aiming to become a 100-year company. In addition to ‘Jangbogo-ui Kkum Hwangchil Yakju,’ it produces various liquors including yakju such as ‘Jangbogo-ui Kkum Bipa’ and ‘Yuja Makgeolli,’ as well as takju.

Wando = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyungpil just8440@asiae.co.kr