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| Diageo Korea CEO Cho Kil-soo, right, promotes W Signature 12, the firm's latest premium spirit, with Deputy British Ambassador to Korea Sue Kinoshita, center, at the British Embassy in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Diageo Korea |
By Lee Hyo-sik
Diageo Korea has introduced W Signature 12, the fourth iteration of its popular spirit category, to attract more Korean consumers who increasingly prefer low-alcohol drinks amid the increasing wellbeing trend.
The product has an alcohol content of 35 percent, compared with 40 percent for conventional Scotch. Despite the lower alcohol content, W Signature 12 and its predecessors retain the flavor and smoothness of Windsor brand products, according to the world's largest premium whisky maker.
W Signature will solidify the firm's leadership in the rapidly growing premium spirits market, Diageo Korea CEO Cho Kil-soo said during a press conference at the British Embassy in Seoul, Tuesday.
"W Signature 12 is very meaningful for both Diageo Korea and the nation's low alcohol by volume (ABV) segment," Cho said. "By completing the low-ABV drinks portfolio, this gives us an opportunity to lead the rapidly growing category. The recent trend is that more consumers choose what they drink on their own, making the type of whisky used in spirit drinks very important. This is why providing clear information such as the age of the Scotch whisky is more important than ever before."
He said W Signature 12 is rich in a sweet honey and fruity aroma, and its taste is smooth and complex, with a little bit of a bitter cedar flavor.
The drink is the latest addition to Windsor's W series. Diageo Korea rolled out its first spirit drink, W ICE, in March 2015 and the second, W Rare, eight months later. In November 2016, it introduced W Signature 17, which has helped expand its presence in the ABV drink segment.
In June, Diageo accounted for more than 28 percent of Korea's spirit drink market, up from 25 percent in December 2016 and 20 percent in December 2015.
W Signature 12 is blended by three world-class master blenders and uses whiskies matured for at least for 12 years in Scotland, blended with flavors and aroma, which give the ultimate smoothness along with a depth that only time can bring.
Its bottle design is fit for a casual and lively atmosphere. The sophisticated dark grey bottle and curved design embody the triple smoothness, according to Diageo.
To spark further interest in the latest product among consumers, the company hired popular actor Hyun Bin as a model for W Signature.
Its factory price is set at 26,026 won, including value-added tax, for a 450ml bottle.
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