·The history, culture, and exciting story of whiskey
·Up-to-date information for both whiskey lovers and beginners
·A visit to a Scottish distillery, the mecca of Scotch
·Unpublished columns from "Whiskeydia" included

The minimum knowledge required to properly understand whiskey
Find your 'whiskey of a lifetime' with Whiskeydia.

The Chosun Ilbo's popular serial column, "Whiskeydia," has finally been published as a book.
Say goodbye to the stereotype that whiskey is difficult and complex! This book lowers the barrier to entry with its engaging and easy-to-read storytelling, creating a whiskey education anyone can easily grasp.


Through intriguing questions like, "What was the alcohol that witnessed Park Chung-hee's death?" and "What was the number one whiskey made by a pesticide company?", the story of whiskey in history and culture is easily unraveled, and a variety of knowledge about whiskey is conveyed in a fun and engaging way.
Additionally, this book has been designed to be a comprehensive guide to whiskey, with in-depth knowledge and previously unpublished columns.
It will serve as a guide for those new to whiskey, and provide the joy of discovering new information for enthusiasts.


Whiskey isn't about price.
Because no matter how expensive the whiskey is, it's meaningless if it's not to my taste.
This book helps readers discover their own whiskey tastes and guides them to enjoy the process.
We'll cover everything from whiskey basics to culture, brands, and the latest trends to help you make a foolproof whiskey choice.
Additionally, you will be able to experience the depth of whisky through the author's personal visit to a Scottish distillery and exclusive interviews with whisky masters.
Begin your journey into the world of whiskey with 『Whiskeydia』.

There is one game that cannot be missed when people who love whiskey gather together.
It's called 'blind tasting'.
This is a test where you taste a whiskey without any information and guess the distillery, age, oak barrel, alcohol content, etc.
Even those who know and love whiskey well find themselves anxious at this moment when they face the truth.
This is because you may feel like the experience you have accumulated over time is being denied.
One evening, five people, including myself, started sniffing around in our glasses.
I concentrated for a long time, smelling and tasting, and writing it down in my notebook.
Six whiskies in a glass without any information.
The price range is from 40,000 won to 700,000 won.
(Omitted…) Unless you are a whiskey expert, it is difficult to get all the answers right.
If you can just find out the general direction of which oak barrel was used, you are halfway there.
Blind tastings have many variables.
Even if you experiment with the same whiskey, the results can vary each time.
This is because the taste varies depending on the physical condition, oral condition, atmosphere, and storage conditions of the whiskey.
What was right then may be wrong now.
When the correct answer was revealed, a look of defeat appeared on the faces of several contestants.
This is the look on your face after being hit hard.
The cheapest of the six whiskies took the top spot.
But soon everyone starts shouting with bright expressions.
“Johnnie Walker Black, after all!”
---From "A whiskey with great value for money that costs 40,000 won if you drink it with your eyes open, and 400,000 won if you drink it with your eyes closed"

A milky broth made from freshly slaughtered Korean beef bones.
The milky color of the bone soup heightens the anticipation for its taste just by its color.
However, no matter how good the bones are, if you boil them more than four times, the taste and nutrition will decrease.
The same goes for oak barrels used in whiskey production.
After the first one or two, or at most three or four, uses, all the good ingredients in the oak barrel are lost.
The taste of the original liquid aged in oak barrels that have lost their 'sweetness' will be close to that of a mess.

---From "No more re-boiling! A distillery that uses expensive oak barrels only once and throws them away."

When you enter the distillery, everything is old and dirty.
If you've ever experienced the clean, refined distilleries of Speyside or the Highlands, Springbank turns everything upside down.
It doesn't seem like he has any particular desire to keep it clean.
In places untouched by human hands, spider webs and accumulated dust inevitably catch the eye.
Even a bird that got caught in the wire mesh in the barley warehouse and died became part of the distillery.
The distillery staff even gave the 'stuffed bird' a nickname, so perhaps their optimism is the secret to the whiskey's delicious taste.
The lyrics of 'Let It Be' by the legendary British group The Beatles came to mind.
'Just leave everything to nature's own devices.'

---From "The 'Let It Be' Spirit That Would Make Even the Beatles Cry, Springbank Distillery"