[Exclusive] Shinsegae Releases 'Highest Sales' Whiskey... Launches Highball as 'Jim Beam Rival'

Evan Williams, Shinsegae L&B's Top-Selling Brand
Amazing Brewing Company Handles Everything from Production to Distribution

Shinsegae L&B is launching a highball product in the ready-to-drink (RTD) format using its top-selling brand, Evan Williams. This is Shinsegae's first time introducing a highball product, serving as a countermeasure following the success of Jim Beam whiskey, the iconic highball brand.

According to the liquor industry on the 1st, a highball product using Evan Williams, the top-selling bourbon whiskey brand of Shinsegae L&B as of last year, will be released this month. The new highball product’s recipe development and overall production, distribution, and sales will be handled by the domestic craft beer company Amazing Brewing Company (ABC), while Shinsegae L&B will be responsible for importing and supplying the whiskey base.

Bourbon whiskey 'Evan Williams Black' imported and sold by Shinsegae L&B

The Evan Williams highball is expected to be sold mainly through convenience store channels, with pricing set at a level similar to Beam Suntory Korea’s "Jim Beam Highball." Currently, the 350ml can of Jim Beam Highball is sold at convenience stores for around 4,000 KRW. The new product will use the brand’s flagship lineup, "Evan Williams Black," as the base spirit, and is reportedly preparing to launch in two flavors: lemon and apple.

Evan Williams, which Shinsegae L&B has exclusively imported and sold in Korea since November 2021, is the second best-selling bourbon whiskey in the United States and worldwide. It was named after Evan Williams, who established a commercial distillery in Kentucky, the birthplace of bourbon whiskey, in 1783. Among these, Evan Williams Black used in this highball is aged for 4 to 5 years, longer than the legal aging period of 2 years required to be recognized as straight bourbon, resulting in a smooth and rich aroma despite its high alcohol content of 43%.

Evan Williams was the top-performing brand within Shinsegae L&B last year in terms of single-brand sales. As "mixology," the trend of mixing various liquors and beverages, has become popular especially among younger generations, the relatively affordable price has attracted attention, leading to steady growth. Notably, last year BTS member Jungkook recommended Evan Williams as a whiskey suitable for highballs, which became a hot topic.

'Amazing Brewing Company' logo.

Amazing Brewing Company, responsible for the production and sales of this new highball product, is one of Korea’s leading craft beer companies, founded in 2016 in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. The company expanded its capacity by establishing a brewery in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, capable of producing 1,200 tons of beer annually in 2019. Last year, it also expanded its business area by launching "Andong Highball," the industry’s first traditional liquor highball using Andong Soju, one of Korea’s three major traditional liquors.

Meanwhile, as highballs gain popularity, RTD highball products that can be conveniently enjoyed like canned beer are actively being released, mainly in convenience stores. Jim Beam Highball, containing bourbon whiskey "Jim Beam," has maintained steady popularity since its launch in August last year. Recently, CU promoted its "Fresh Lemon Highball" as the top hit product of the first half of this year and introduced a follow-up product, "Fresh Lime Highball." Lotte Chilsung Beverage also launched "Scotch High." Last month, Chinese baijiu company Wuliangye Group introduced "Wuliang Highball," a highball using baijiu base liquor.