A clear liquor steeped with a whole Kaesong ginseng root left standing in the bottle. Kaesong has grown Koryo ginseng since the Goryeo era, and the root-steeped liquor is a signature North Korean export and banquet gift.
The base is a distilled spirit that cannot legally be made without a licence, and the root is a controlled Kaesong-grown ginseng that takes six years in the ground before it is worth using.
What goes into it
- a whole six-year Kaesong ginseng root
- a clear grain spirit
- sometimes honey or jujube
How it is made
A whole dried or fresh ginseng root, grown for six years before it is lifted, is placed upright in a bottle and covered with clear spirit. It steeps for months while the spirit draws out the root’s ginsenosides and turns pale amber. The root stays in the bottle, which is half the presentation.
How long it takes: six years to grow the root, then months of steeping
How it is eaten
In small glasses at banquets, at room temperature, and given as a formal gift.
History
Kaesong has grown Koryo ginseng since the Goryeo era; the root-steeped liquor is a signature North Korean export and banquet gift.
Frequently asked questions
What is Insamju?
Insamju is a wine & spirit from North Korea: clear liquor steeped with a whole Kaesong ginseng root in the bottle. Kaesong has grown Koryo ginseng since the Goryeo era; the root-steeped liquor is a signature North Korean export and banquet gift.
How is Insamju made?
A whole dried or fresh ginseng root, grown for six years before it is lifted, is placed upright in a bottle and covered with clear spirit. It steeps for months while the spirit draws out the root’s ginsenosides and turns pale amber. The root stays in the bottle, which is half the presentation. It takes six years to grow the root, then months of steeping.
Can I make Insamju at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. The base is a distilled spirit that cannot legally be made without a licence, and the root is a controlled Kaesong-grown ginseng that takes six years in the ground before it is worth using.
What goes into Insamju?
A whole six-year Kaesong ginseng root, a clear grain spirit, sometimes honey or jujube.
How is Insamju eaten?
In small glasses at banquets, at room temperature, and given as a formal gift.
