Agricultural corporation 044 Distillery said on the 21st that its grain syrup fermented spirit "Sak Black 50" won the grand prize in the Korean traditional spirits (40% ABV and above) category at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards.
The Korea Wine & Spirits Awards is Korea's leading liquor competition, now in its 13th year. ChosunBiz has hosted it annually since 2014 with the goal of "discovering excellent domestic drinks, promoting them widely, and supporting the formation of a sound drinking culture."
This year's event drew entries from 260 companies with a total of 1,118 brands. It is the largest among domestic competitions that cover comprehensive liquor categories. Of these, 449 brands won the grand prize.
The award-winning "Sak Black 50" is a 50% ABV spirit made by fermenting grain syrup produced from Sejong rice with yeast and completing it through two rounds of atmospheric distillation. It features a deep, rich flavor and a clean finish, adding modern elements to a traditional distillation method.
044 Distillery's "Sak" series has extended its record with the Korea Wine & Spirits Awards for the second consecutive year. Earlier, the 30% ABV product "Sak" won the grand prize in the Korean traditional spirits (25% ABV to under 40%) category at the 2025 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards.
044 Distillery plans to use this award as a springboard to develop additional low-alcohol fruit liqueurs that general consumers can enjoy more easily and to expand sales to overseas markets.
A 044 Distillery official said, "We are pleased that the Sak series has won the grand prize at the Korea Wine & Spirits Awards for two consecutive years," adding, "We will continue to steadily enhance the value of our traditional liquor made from Sejong's agricultural products."