Understanding soju: The world's best-selling spirit and its craft evolution

If you had to guess what the world's best-selling spirit is, you could be forgiven for not knowing that the answer is soju. Don’t miss Decanter Fine Wine Encounter Singapore 2025 – an unmissable celebration of world-class wine. Book your tickets today. This Korean ‘sool’ (a catchall Korean term for alcohol), which dates back to the 13th century and was traditionally made from rice (other grains and even cassava/sweet potato are now used), is slightly sweet, bright and light in flavour, and sells more than 500 million bottles a year. [subscriber-content]Most of those sales are down to a brand called Jinro, which has enjoyed some serious growth in the UK of late. In the first quarter of 2025 alone it saw a 41% uptick and has had a headline summer as the brand to be seen drinking. The general lack of previous knowledge of the spirit outside its home nation has led to some misconceptions about it. ‘The most obvious preconception is that it’s a cheap drink,’ says Julia Mellor, co-founder of The Sool Company, a global resource for Korean traditional alcohol education, promotion and trade. The company has a makgeolli (fermented rice wine) microbrewery and education studio in Seoul, and works as an export agency for high-quality Korean spirits. ‘While that can certainly be true of mass-produced varieties, the truth about soju is that it is a craft that dates back centuries, with a deep history and regional character,’ Mellor continues. ‘It’s only in the past decade or so that craft soju has truly begun to emerge, with innovators and traditionalists alike creating high-quality, diverse spirits.’ That emerging craft market means that the innovation surrounding soju production will keep pushing this traditional spirit’s boundaries for some time. Alternative grains and ageing processes, and richer, fuller flavour profiles are just a few of the exciting developments we can expect to see, alongside more traditional and equally attention-deserving brands in the category. There are two core categories of soju, the difference being their abvs. ‘Table strength’ soju is less than 25% abv (usually 16%-25%), while ‘spirit strength’ sits in the more traditional range of 35% abv and above. Recently, there has been a move towards flavoured sojus, which is likely encouraging growth among younger consumers, being more accessible and better suited to casual drinking. Access to soju outside Korea, particularly in the UK, is set to improve, with The Sool Company poised to send some of the beverage’s best brands to the UK for the first time. ‘It will include some of the most respected traditional soju producers, such as Poongjeong Sagye and Jinmaek Soju,’ says Mellor, ‘as well as an incredible toasted-rice soju from Hwashim that is simply unlike anything ever tried in the distilled rice [spirit] category.’ The wine-like abvs of some soju expressions mean they can be drunk simply chilled, neat and with food. Mellor finds that soju works well with fatty meats or spicy dishes because of its soft, gently sweet flavour profile. Another fun way of serving it is mixed with beer – a popular drink in Korea known as somaek – with a 30:70 ratio. [caption id="attachment_568422" align="alignnone" width="1300"] Credit: Thanaphon Subsang / Shutterstock[/caption] One to try Jinro Plum Soju £5.50/35cl Amathus Drinks This flavoured soju from the Korean giant has been brewed with rice, barley and tapioca then mixed with black plum juice. The result? Plum-wine-esque with a pretty florality and other stone fruit notes, such as apricot. Great as it is, nicely chilled. Alcohol 13% [/subscriber-content] Related articles What to pair with Korean cuisine Asian spirits revolution Best London cocktail bars: Eight to try

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Understanding soju: The world’s best-selling spirit and its craft evolution

Don’t miss Decanter Fine Wine Encounter Singapore 2025 – an unmissable celebration of world-class wine. Book your tickets today.

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