Korean liquor makers advised to be 'confident' in globalization
Jim Beveridge, a master blender at Diageo
By Park Si-soo
Korean liquor has great potential to succeed in the global market, said a reputed Scotch whisky blender, encouraging domestic liquor producers to be “confident” in expanding to overseas markets.
“It’s unique and distinctive,” said Jim Beveridge, a master blender at the world’s biggest Scotch whisky maker, Diageo, recollecting his tasting of Korean beer and “soju,” a distilled rice-based Korean liquor. “I can understand their success here. Much like the Scotch whisky producers, they (Korean producers) should be confident with what they make and be true to themselves. That’s essential.”
He said confidence played a big role in the success of Scotch in the global market.
Only a small portion of Korean liquor products are exported, but liquor makers are stepping up efforts to increase overseas sales.
Beveridge is a hall of fame-listed veteran Scotch whisky blender who played a pivotal role in crafting the taste of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, which debuted in 1992 and sells nearly 100,000 bottles globally each year. He leads a team of 20 veteran blenders for Diageo.
Beveridge visited Seoul late May to interview Korean customers who seek handcrafted, custom Scotch whisky from Diageo’s Signature Blending program. Korea is only the second country in Asia apart from China in which the program is available.
Beveridge had a four-hour closed-door meeting with the handful of customers at the Johnnie Walker House in southern Seoul, during which he created custom tastes for them.
Around 80-100 bottles of customized Scotch whisky will be delivered to the clients next year. He refused to elaborate on the service, citing its confidential nature. The minimum cost for an order is 80,000 pounds (136 million won), he added.
“Korean customers have a deep understanding of Scotch whisky. I really appreciate that,” he said.
Beveridge said the most popular taste among Scotch whisky aficionados in Korea is something that is “rich, intense, deep and smoky,” but the demand for a “light, fresh and fruity” taste has increased recently.
He called whisky blending a “very precise art.”
“We need to be very precise in selecting ingredients and combining them. And it’s also crucial to understand the complexity of all the options we have,” he said. “We need to cut through all of that and make a simple rule. Understand the complexity and make it a simple, simple rule.”
Asked about how to become a successful blender, Beveridge identified three requirements ― curiosity, experimentation and understanding of customers.
The 63-year-old is looking for “more than one” successor so that he could retire “someday.”
Asked about his concrete plan for retirement,” he answered with playful smile, “Ask my wife.”