Kooksoondang Chestnut Makgeolli 750ml

This chestnut makgeolli comes from Kooksoondang, the Korean brewer behind Baekseju and Kooksoondang Saeng Makgeolli, based in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province.

Makgeolli is Korea's traditional unfiltered rice wine. This one is brewed from rice with nuruk, the traditional Korean fermentation starter, and yeast. Retailer ingredient lists show chestnut flavour, marron flavour and concentrated chestnut paste, sweetened with fructose and sugar, plus added carbon dioxide, lactic acid and caramel and turmeric colours. One retailer flags the lactic acid as containing milk. It's lightly sparkling and 4% alcohol.

Retailers describe it as creamy, mildly sweet and slightly tangy, with a nutty roasted-chestnut aroma and gentle effervescence.

Against Kooksoondang Banana Makgeolli, the chestnut version is nuttier and more roasted in flavour; for a dessert-like, autumnal makgeolli, choose chestnut.

Chill it well and shake gently before pouring so the sediment mixes back in. Serve it cold in a bowl or glass with pajeon or spicy stir-fries. One retailer also suggests it slightly warmed or after a meal.

Browse more Korean rice wine and our soju, sake and rice wine. Pick it up at our Brooklyn store or get same-day delivery across NYC.