Whisky Ladies World Tour – South Korea’s Ki One Unicorn 46%

Posted on July 25, 2026 by Carissa Hickling

At London’s Whisky Show 2024, we were introduced to South Korea’s Ki One single malt. Founded in 2020 by Bryan Do, a Korean-American, with Scotland’s Andrew Shand, a special trio was released to reflect the three different elements: Tiger for Korea, Eagle for USA, and the Unicorn for Scotland’s national (mythical) animal.

During a visit to Singapore, our hostess had an opportunity to sample all three expressions, finally settling on this one.

Ki One “Unicorn” 3 year (2025) Virgin American Oak / ex-Bourbon 46%

Nose – Initially sour mash, brine, pickles, a bit musty, earthy with moss, then it began to shift, opening up in the glass to reveal curious elements of turmeric, mace, then bay leaf, mint, sweetening more and more, watermelon seeds, green apples, teak wood then fresh pine, wandering into a wet forest, fresh, clean, and fragrant air. Then nutmeg, ginger…. shifting back to those crunchy green apples
Palate – What a beauty! Chocolate melting in the mouth, gentle cinnamon spice, coffee cake, cloves, well-rounded and rewarding, from mocha to roasted coffee grounds, then orange peel
Finish – An incredibly long finish, bitter cinnamon bark or smoked oolong tea with honey

It has been some time since I encountered such a nuanced yet complex nose – a whisky that has several different elements that require slowing down to gently unfurl. There was an elegance and balance – each part nose, taste, finish brought something special to the equation. Yes, there was peat, and yet it was a subtle roast… like a shadow or echo of peat, rather than the main event.

We set the whisky aside and came back to find it even more beautiful. It paired wonderfully with our chocolate cake dessert… It was lovely just to sip and enjoy. For most this was the clear favourite of the evening.

Here is what the folks at Ki One have to say about this expression:

KI ONE UNICORN KOREAN SINGLE MALT 46% ABV

Unicorn is the third pillar of Ki One, representing master distillery Andrew Shand and the complexity of peated scotch whisky. Matured in the same combination of barrels as the Ki One Eagle, this expression uses malted barley that boasts a robust 50 parts per million of peat. Aromas of fall leaves and camp smoke are present as well as sea air and rich oak. The flavors are unmistakably smokey but with a delicacy that betrays its heavy peating. Smoked honey, warm grains, and a pleasant umami finish.

An excellent whisky that gets better the more time it spends in the glass. Well worth trying!

We sampled this in July 2026 as part of a “World Tour” together with:

India – Niko’s Single Malt 4 year (2024) 41%
Denark – Thy 5 year (2025) PX & Oloroso 51.5%

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

WordPress https://whiskylady.co/
FaceBook Whisky Lady India – https://www.facebook.com/WhiskyLadyIN

Whisky Ladies Global Tour! Niko’s, Ki-One, Thy

Posted on July 23, 2026 by Carissa Hickling

Some evenings remind me why tasting groups are so special. In our case, with the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai, many of us have enjoyed evenings together for a decade-plus. We’ve traversed the globe, sampling whiskies from Iceland to Tasmania, from traditional, mature Scottish drams to upstart experiments that wouldn’t meet Scottish standards to even be called whisky!

This particular evening was a whisky world tour, focused on three different yet complementary expressions:

It was a perfect progression – from a concentrated undisclosed Indian single malt, to an elegant, beautiful, lightly peated “Unicorn” from South Korea, we closed on a powerful yet nuanced Danish dram.

Don’t want to miss a post? You can follow Whisky Lady in India on:

WordPress https://whiskylady.co/
Facebook Whisky Lady in India – https://www.facebook.com/WhiskyLadyIN

London’s Whisky Show 2024 – Introducing Korea’s Ki One

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Carissa Hickling

At London’s Whisky Show 2024, we were introduced to a few new distilleries. From Islay, we checked out Ardnahoe. From England, we sampled what Wire Works had to offer. New Zealand introduced us to Cardrona and Thomson. Then from the Mainstage, we tried Japan’s Kanosuke and Ireland’s Boann.

But Korea? Enter Three Societies, touted as Korea’s first whisky distillery. Founded in 2020 by Bryan Do, a Korean-American with Scotland’s Andrew Shand, the distillery already offer several different expressions. At the Whisky Show, we had the opportunity to try Virgin American Oak, Peated, and PX.

Ki One Batch 6 PX (2024) 53.5%

I picked the PX and found it quite curious. On the nose, I found Elderflower, a kind of “eau de vie”, fruity, floral, with an overall sweetness. On the palate, it was so sweet that it was like sipping a spiced liqueur rather than whisky. I didn’t note much of a finish, however in fairness, this was just a quick sniff, swish, and spit, so much can be missed!

What more do they have to say about this expression?

KI-ONE Batch 6 is matured in Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry casks, allowing you to experience the well-balanced body with sweet character of the PX casks, which are beloved among whisky enthusiasts.

With the official tasting notes: