Golden Blue to become first Korean whiskey to be exported to US

South Korean whiskey company Golden Blue said Monday that its Golden Blue Sappirus will hit the US market in February.

Having been shipped Saturday, the blue-bottled whiskey will become the country’s first locally produced whiskey to be exported to the US, the largest market in the world, the company said.

“Entering the US market is moving one step closer to the globalization of K-alcohol drinks,” said CEO Kim Dong-wook.

Kim added that he’s certain that three years of research on the US market and his company’s experience and success in Asia will help its whiskey find its place in the US.

With the first batch set to supply California and Nevada, two states with large Korean American populations, the company plans to introduce Golden Blue Sappirus to a wider audience in eight states, including New Mexico, Oregon and Texas.

The latest move adds the US to the list of seven countries where the Korean whiskey has been sold. The others are China, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia.

By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)