▲ This photo, provided by William Grant & Sons Korea, shows its brand-new 'Time Re: Imagined' collections. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, provided by Diageo Korea, shows its 'Special Release' limited collection. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Mar. 11 (Yonhap) -- Amid the recent surge in demand for whisky spotted in South Korea, more and more Korean consumers are reportedly looking for beverages that are over 21 years old.

In response to such demands, the liquor and distribution industries in South Korea are scrambling to introduce years-long whiskies to strengthen their market penetration. For instance, William Grant & Sons Korea launched the brand-new “Time Re: Imagined” collections of Glenfiddich, the world’s most renowned single malt Scotch whisky.

The Scottish company showcased three different types of whiskies for their new collections, including 30 years, 40 years, and 50 years-old bottles of Glenfiddich.

In the meantime, Diageo Korea also introduced 26-year-old Cameron Bridge to Korean consumers, along with a limited collection “Special Release” consisting of 7 other types of whiskies. The British beverage company joined hands with illustrators Kevin Tong and Ken Taylor for the brand-new limited edition.

Pernorica Korea also joined the lineup and strengthened its product portfolio by introducing a 30-year-old Royal salute as a regular product. Meanwhile, distributor Trans Beverage also showcased the 60-year-old The Glengrant for a limited period.

In South Korea, last year’s whisky imports reportedly reached an all-time high in 15 years since 2007 as whisky gradually garnered the tastes of consumers.

Imports of whisky such as Scotch, bourbon, and rai recorded $266.84 million last year, which increased by 52.2% from the previous year, according to the Korea Customs Service’s trade statistics.

Such a surge in demand is analyzed to be one of the repercussion effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, during which the culture of drinking at homes and drinking alone spread among consumers. The market has since grown in its size as more and more consumers came to enjoy drinking whisky, especially those in their 20s and 30s.


(This article is translated from Korean to English by Ha eun Lee)

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