CJ CheilJedang's 'jari' soju brand wins at two global spirits competitions

CJ CheilJedang announced Tuesday that all three products it submitted under its premium K-distilled spirits brand jari won awards at the 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) and the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2026.

At the 2026 IWSC, Jari Munbaesul 24 and Jari Munbaesul 41 each received silver medals, while Jari Gamuci 24 took bronze. Jari Munbaesul 41 scored 94 points and Jari Munbaesul 24 scored 91. At ISC 2026, Jari Munbaesul 24 claimed the gold medal, with Jari Munbaesul 41 and Jari Gamuci 24 each earning silver.

Jari is a distilled soju brand made by aging traditional Korean liquor. CJ CheilJedang developed the line in collaboration with Munbaejoo Brewery and Danong Biotech, launching Jari Munbaesul 24 and Jari Gamuci 24 in South Korea in July. The company plans to bring the jari brand to the US market this fall.

"We will continue to build on partnerships with domestic breweries to showcase the appeal of Korean distilled spirits and create more opportunities for global consumers to experience Korean food culture through jari," a CJ CheilJedang official said.