Naeoe Distillery
Sancheong
at the foot of Jirisan
The distillery lies in Sancheong, set in nature at the foot of Jirisan. The region is famous throughout Korea for the purity of its nature: for exceptionally clear, mineral-rich water and for medicinal herbs gathered here for centuries. The rice and water for the spirit come from this landscape, a quiet, unspoiled piece of Korea as its origin.
Soju rethought
with a clear stylistic direction
Many treasure traditional soju; others find the typical fermentation notes of nuruk very present. Naeoe answers with a modern interpretation of distillation: copper pot stills, inspired by whisky techniques, produce clear, aroma-driven distillates. Production is based on a multi-stage fermented base wine of rice, which is then distilled several times. The result is matured spirits with a particularly clean profile, in which the typical grain and fermentation notes are far less dominant, a modern interpretation of soju focused on clarity, fruit and structure.
Precision and science
An engineer’s eye shapes the house: at Naeoe, taste is not left to chance but measured and quantified exactly, every batch documented, every cut of the distillate set with precision. The approach proved itself quickly: Naeoe 21 won the 2025 Grand Prize of the Korea Liquor Awards in the premium soju category, and Naeoe 39 was honoured at the K-SUUL Award. Tradition, redesigned, by a generation that can do both: inherit and renew.