Agricultural corporation Juyeonhyang said on the 3rd that with "Yasu R 53 (野秀 R 53)," it won the grand prize in the over-40% ABV Korean distilled liquor category at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards. It has won for three consecutive years since 2024.
Juyeonhyang is an agricultural corporation located on Ganghwa Island, Incheon. True to its name, which carries the meaning of "enjoying well-scented liquor," it brews using only natural ingredients such as Ganghwa Island rice, glutinous rice, and traditional nuruk, employing the samyangju method. Through a total 200-day process—100 days of low-temperature fermentation and 100 days of low-temperature aging—it achieves a deep aroma and smooth taste.
The premium distilled soju "Yasu" is representative. Meaning "a liquor brewed from ingredients obtained from nature," Yasu is a distilled soju brewed with Ganghwa Island rice, glutinous rice, and Gyodong proso millet. In particular, despite its high 53% ABV, its smooth finish and flavor harmonized with floral and fruit aromas are its distinguishing strengths.
Earlier, Yasu R 53, along with "Yasu G 53," one of the Yasu series products, simultaneously won Double Gold—Korea's first—at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). At the 2025 London Spirits Competition (LSC), it went on to win the top-tier Gold and was also selected as "SOJU of the YEAR 2025."
A Juyeonhyang official said, "We are pleased and honored to have received the top award at a world spirits competition for two consecutive years and to have also won the grand prize at the Korea Wine & Spirits Awards for three consecutive years," adding, "We will continue striving to capture in our liquor the value inherent in nature's pure ingredients."