One Bourbon, One Soju, One Beer
BY SEYTA SELTER
sselter@wweek.com

What's your guess at the top-selling liquor in the world? Absolut? Jack Daniel's? Kristal? Nope, it's Stolichnaya. But, coming in at second place, with twice as much sales revenue as Bacardi, is a Korean liquor you've probably never even heard of: Jinro Soju. The top worldwide seller from 1995 to 1998, it didn't even hit the States until '99.

The small, simple bottle glows sleek and eerily green, and what's inside is as appealing as shoe-leather kim chee. If the taste--like sour sake or diluted vodka--turns you off too, fear not. There are plenty of other, better reasons to like the stuff.

1. Drinking Jinro Soju helps demonstrate your cultural openness and love for Korea!

Soju ("burnt wine") is steeped in cultural importance. It was introduced to Korea by invading Mongols around A.D. 1000. Originally reserved for royalty, soju was distilled from sake; now, however, it's mashed from barley, rice, sweet potatoes and other mysterious grains. While the lucky inhabitants of Asia may abuse countless brands at their leisure (ranging from 20 to 45 percent alcohol), we get only the 24 percent Jinro Soju. Jinro Ltd., a Korean liquor mogul since 1924, is soju's sole exporter and now spreads its love to more than 80 countries.

2. It's damn cheap and packs a punch.

At $4.95 for a 375ml bottle, you can bring Jinro Soju to a party and drink it at the same rate your friends are drinking their similarly sized bottles of beer--but you'll get eight bottles of 24 percent alcohol to their bloating and laborious six beers at 3-6 percent--for the same low price! Sure, it won't taste as good (unless you're a big fan of sake and straight vodka), but that shouldn't matter to all you degenerate lushes like me.

3. Act like a real artist: Put creative expression and drunkenness hand in hand.

One of Jinro Soju's many assets is its adaptability. Boring people take it straight, but we artists like to mix it up. Cover the taste and create a culinary masterpiece in one fell swoop: Add fruits/veggies/herbs to the bottle, close it up and ignore it. Crack it open in a week and you have a delicious "Jinro Soju Fusion" and a refreshing wave of creative pride. Deep-pocketed martini lovers with a penchant for cold, anti-human "ambiance" can go to Bluehour for a $7 "Bluehour Martini" and experience the plum Jinro infusion mixed with Ketel One vodka. (Though Bluehour infuses fresh plums in soju for 90 days, the disappointing result is merely a slightly plum-and-sake-flavored Ketel One martini.) Saucebox also employs the Korean magic in creative ways for your amusement.

But, for a measly $5, the best route is to simply buy some Jinro instead of your regular vodka or gin and make a little change to your favorite mixed drinks. Not only will it save you dough, but you can be a part of the worldwide movement to kick Stoli out and put Jinro Soju back on top.