Cheongju (Mepssal)

An Australian tribute to the premium grade traditional Korean alcohol. We craft this clear, premium sool by fermenting rice with our hand-made Nuruk fermentation starter. Sin g a combination of Koshihikari rice and sweet rice, the entire process is developed from a combination of traditional and modern processes, allowing us to cultivate the exact flavour profiles we want - a delicate balance of aroma, acidity, and alcohol, just like a premium white wine.

The resulting drink is polished and bright, with a subtle floral aroma. The palate is often defined by its clean, smooth body, a gentle rice sweetness, and a funkily sophisticated, crisp, and slightly tart finish.

Like the rest of our Korean “Sool”, each batch of our cheongju is unique - just like wine. Some are sweet, some are dry, and some lean into the sour - but each batch always has a beautifully complex and bold flavours that present an entirely new experience in the Australian market.

Best served chilled in a wine glass to appreciate its nuances, it pairs beautifully with seafood and lighter meals, but has also been known to go especially well with BBQ!

Girin (기린) — Cheongju

The Girin is the most auspicious creature in Korean mythology - dragon-scaled, deer-antlered, wrapped in soft flame, and so gentle it doesn't bend a single blade of grass beneath its hooves. It doesn't appear for the powerful or the loud. It comes only in times of true harmony, or to walk beside those of rare and genuine virtue.

Our Cheongju is the clear rice beverage drawn from the same ferment as makgeolli - patient, precise, and refined down to its purest expression. Where makgeolli is vivacious and cloudy, cheongju is still and luminous - the Girin felt like the only choice. 

Artwork by cofounder and Tano master distiller Fletch - @Facter on Instagram.