Ki One Awarded the Best Worldwide Whisky Trophy

The company received the esteemed accolade in "record time," marking a historic first for Korea.

Ki One Whisky, Korea's inaugural single malt distillery, has received the esteemed Worldwide Whisky Trophy at the 2025 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), marking a significant milestone for Korean spirits. This landmark victory, accomplished in what the brand's CEO Bryan Do refers to as "record time," has solidified Korea's position on the global whisky landscape.

The IWSC, frequently dubbed the "Academy Awards of the spirits industry," awards only one product each category with a trophy, rendering this distinction unequaled. The victorious product, Ki One Unicorn, was characterized as a “unforgettable experience” and designated as the world's premier whisky outside the conventional Scotch, Irish, and Bourbon classifications. This achievement, occurring within a few years post-establishment of the distillery, establishes Ki One as one of the most rapidly ascending brands in the annals of single malt whisky.

This acknowledgment is a significant milestone, demonstrating that Korea is capable of producing world-class whisky. The success is multifaceted; the Ki One Tiger and Ki One Eagle garnered Silver and Bronze awards at the IWSC, as well as Gold and Silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). This exemplifies the superiority of the complete collection and positions Korean whisky as a viable brand capable of constantly competing internationally, rather than merely a fleeting novelty.