Mix it up behind the bar with this set of four Korean rice wines:
Gamja Sool
This rice-and-potato wine from Gangwon-do is a delightful little weirdo: silky and bright on the palate, a bit like clarified tomato water, which is one of our favorite unexpected cocktail ingredients. Try it where you want a burst of savory flavor.
Sahwa Yakju
Made with only rice, nuruk, and water. Crisp and bright, with soft acidity, gentle rice sweetness, and a fruity aroma that recalls a dry Riesling. It's easy to pair and easy to build around, and it wins over skeptical wine drinkers and sool enthusiasts alike. A good place to start for spritzes, highballs, and anything that wants a light, clean base.
Geumsan Insamju
Earthy ginseng notes are softened by pleasant acidity and a touch of sweetness. Mellow and grounding, it works as an after-dinner pour on its own or as a stirred-drink ingredient in place of an herbal vermouth .
Sahwa Mixing Makgeolli
The cocktail ingredient you didn't know you were missing. Creamy and full-bodied, with a grainy bitterness and a spirited kick, this unfiltered takju makes a great dairy or coconut substitute. Its acidity and savory rice offset sweet liqueurs and syrups, so it's a natural fit for a Painkiller or a White Russian.






