Brown Owl: Oak-Aged Rice Spirit Blends Nutty and Spicy Notes
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
On Distillery, known for its clean “Hyunhyun” series and sesame-infused “Yeonyon,” introduced a new oak-aged rice distillate called Brown Owl. A premium tasting was held before the official release, attended by spirits and whiskey enthusiasts and industry figures. Brown Owl is made by aging On’s flagship rice distillate Hyunhyun 58 in Ruby Port casks (oak barrels) from May 2023 and was bottled last month after about 2.5 years of maturation. The spirit is bottled at 56.4% ABV and features an owl illustration by artist Kim Hyun-seok, tying to the distillery’s location in Bonggol-gil (a valley whose name references owls). Tasting notes highlight chocolate and berry aromas, followed by the toasted, slightly sweet rice character and a sharp alcohol heat that mellows with a few sips into deeper savory notes; dried-fruit flavors linger on the finish. Panelists noted some roughness consistent with relatively short oak aging, suggesting further maturation would soften the edges. Brown Owl is a limited run of 360 bottles and went on sale via DailyShot from 5 PM on the 7th.
