Holding 500 years’s time, Solsongju 오백년의 시간을 머금다, 솔송주

Photos by Lee Ji Min 

The history of Solsongju

In Hamyang Gaepyung town, there is a home brewed liquor that has kept almost five centuries of tradition. Since 1500, Noble Chung’s family brewed finest Solsongju with the most freshly harvested rice, pine needles and pine buds.

Master Park Heung Sun has been honored to continue the legendary heritage, and has kept Solsongju’s exceptionally unique taste and fragrance ever since. Korean government acknowledged historical value and importance of Master Park’s expertise, and named her as Korean Traditional Food Master #27 and intangible Cultural Asset #35 in 2012.

Solsongju is made of newly harvested Korean rice, pine needles, and pine buds. It is fermented for 30 days. Its taste is unique and exceptional that you can see the pine woods with the one glass of Solsongju. It is made of newly harvested Korean rice, pine needles, and pine buds.

It is fermented for 30 days, and then distilled and aged for at least 2 years. Its taste is smoother and its flavor is softer than you expect from 40% alcohol hard liquor. In addition, this product leaves good aftertaste like breathing in pine forest. If it is kept for long, its taste and flavor become better.

솔송주의 역사

솔송주는 지리산 자락의 맑은 물과 울창한 노송이 있는 아름다운 마을, 경남 함양의 하동 정씨 가문에서 500년 이상 이어져 내려온 가양주다. 예로부터 우리나라에서는 송절주, 송령주, 솔잎주, 와송주 등 소나무의 기운을 받은 술을 빚어 왔는데 그 중에서도 혈액순환 개선, 성인병 예방 등 좋은 재료를 사용해 빚어낸 솔송주는 약주 중에서 최고로 꼽히는 술이었다.

솔송주는 찹쌀과 솔잎 그리고 봄에 나는 솔순을 이용하여 빚는 전통주로, 병 뚜껑을 열자마자 피어오르는 솔 향기는 솔송주의 가장 큰 매력으로 꼽혀왔다. 현재 솔송주는 13%의 약주와 40%의 증류주가 생산되고 있다. 특히 솔송주를 빚고 있는 하동 정씨 집안의 16대 손부이자 대한민국 전통식품명인 박흥선 명인은 솔송주를 증류시켜 만든 ‘담솔’과 고려시대의 술인 ‘녹파주’를 복원해 전통주 보급에 앞장서고 있다.

Tasting note of Solsongju

Story
In Hamyang Gaepyung town, there is a home brewed liquor that has kept almost five centuries

Ingredients
Newly harvested Korean rice, pine needles & buds. It is fermented for 30 days then distilled, aged for 6 years.

Feature of Solsongju
ALC 40%. Its taste is smoother and its flavor is softer than you expect from 40% alcohol hard liquor.

Matching with Food
It has good matching with seasoned Vegetables, Grilled fish, Pork belly, Galbi Jjim.

How to Drink
Try straight to feel the aromas and flavor more. It is best served chilled so that you can feel the pine taste.

 

 

Contributor, Lee Ji Min
She is a food columnist & president of the Korean web site Daedonyeojudo(酒) which provides information of ‘Real Korean Alcohol’. 

이지민 대표는 대한한국의 명주를 전 세계에 소개하는 사이트인 대동여주도를 운영하며  전통주 보급에 앞장서는 첨병으로 활동하고 있다.