Jinro Chamisul Original

Chamisul Original is a soju from JINRO, a Korean-style distilled spirit that is clear and light-bodied. It is a different drink from gin or vodka, so the botanical and juniper conventions of those spirits don't apply here. Styles like this usually have a clean, faintly sweet profile with a soft grain or starch character, little aroma beyond a gentle sweetness, and a short, smooth finish. Soju is typically bottled at a lower strength than most spirits, which is why it is easy to drink in volume at a meal. Check the label for this bottling's exact proof. The traditional way to serve it is well chilled, straight from the fridge or freezer, and poured into small shot glasses. Sip it alongside food rather than on its own. In Korean dining, the bottle is shared and glasses are refilled for each other. Salty, fatty, smoky, and spicy dishes suit it best, since the neutral spirit resets the palate between bites. Good matches include grilled pork belly and galbi, fried chicken, kimchi jjigae, tteokbokki, and seafood pancakes. Soju also works as a mixer because it has so little flavor of its own. The best-known mix is somaek, made by dropping a shot of soju into a glass of light lager. Expect a crisp, dry result. For a longer drink, pour it over plenty of ice with grapefruit, yuzu, or lemon-lime soda and finish with a citrus wheel in a highball glass. Cucumber and mint also pair well, and a simple soju and soda with lime is a lighter alternative to a vodka soda. Keep the bottle cold and refrigerate it after opening. Serve it chilled rather than over ice if you want the cleanest, smoothest taste.