Korean liquor innovation company Baesangmyun Brewery said on the 3rd that "Neurin Maeul Soju 21" and "Saeng Sansachun" won the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards. Neurin Maeul Soju 21 won for the fifth time, and Saeng Sansachun won for the first time.

The Korea Wine & Spirits Awards is a leading domestic liquor competition organized by ChosunBiz that selects liquors with outstanding quality and competitiveness through expert judging each year. This year marks the 13th edition.

Baesangmyun Brewery's Neurin Maeul Soju 21. It is distilled from Neurin Maeul makgeolli brewed with high-quality Gyeonggi rice./Courtesy of Baesangmyun Brewery

Neurin Maeul Soju 21 is made by distilling Neurin Maeul makgeolli brewed with flavorful Gyeonggi rice. It has been evaluated as a soju that embodies Baesangmyun Brewery's brand philosophy that "good soju comes from good makgeolli." It is characterized by a smooth flavor and a clean finish. It is regarded as a premium soju that modernly realizes the strengths of a traditional brewing method in which raw rice is ground into powder, fermented, and brewed.

Also, Saeng Sansachun, which Baesangmyun Brewery reintroduced to mark its 30th anniversary, won for the first time. This drink was released in Feb. by Baesangmyun Brewery, which marked its 30th anniversary, as an unheated, "raw" version of its flagship yakju Sansachun. Sansachun was launched in 1997 alongside the founding of Baesangmyun Brewery. Since the 2000s, it has established itself as a representative Korean yakju. Brewed with domestically grown rice and hawthorn fruit, it features a harmonious sweet-and-tart taste and a subtle fruity aroma. It is a recreation of a drink called Sansachun introduced in old literature such as the late Joseon practical studies text Imwon Gyeongje Sipyukji, realized through Baesangmyun Brewery's unique raw-rice fermentation and low-temperature aging.

Baesangmyun Brewery reintroduces Saengsan Sachun to mark its 30th anniversary./Courtesy of Baesangmyun Brewery

A Baesangmyun Brewery official said, "The fifth win for Neurin Maeul Soju 21 and the first win for Saeng Sansachun are the result of our continued efforts to improve the quality of traditional liquor," adding, "We will continue research and development to widely promote the value of Korean traditional liquor and present better drinks to consumers."

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