Jonggak whisky bar with a four-pour Islay peat flight: Hanuk

What is Hanuk, the Jonggak whisky bar, like?

Hanuk (하눅) is a cocktail and whisky bar in the basement of 18 Samil-daero 19-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, near Jonggak Station. It's open every day from 19:00 to 2:00 (last order 1:30). The restrooms are separate for men and women, and there's a whisky tour menu.

Everyone, I found a cocktail and whisky bar in Jonggak with an absolutely amazing vibe!! If you're looking for whisky in Jongno, you have to go to Hanuk🧡💛

How do you find the entrance to Hanuk?

Go into the building where you can see the Hanuk sign, then follow the stairs down to the basement.

Go into the building with the Hanuk sign

and head down the stairs to the basement.

The restroom is to the left of Hanuk's entrance, and wow, even the restroom had an incredible atmosphere. There's music playing inside it, too.

Open this door and you step into the gorgeous space of Hanuk!

What is the atmosphere inside Hanuk?

Inside, Western bar culture and Korean beauty blend into a harmonious, cozy atmosphere. A lovely scent greets you the moment you walk in, along with friendly staff.

What do I even do with how good this vibe is!! Lots of cocktail bars and whisky bars feel foreign, right? Hanuk has Western culture and Korean beauty living side by side, and it feels harmonious and cozy. The music playing seemed to upgrade the mood even more. And while we were there, quite a few foreign guests came in too, which somehow made me happy.

Hanuk's lemongrass towel and welcome drink

When you sit down at Hanuk, they bring water and a towel, and the towel had a faint lemongrass scent that I absolutely loved🥹 We really love lemongrass, so smelling it here made me fall even harder for Hanuk.

On top of that, Hanuk's welcome drink is sujeonggwa (cinnamon persimmon punch) with a mini yakgwa (honey cookie). I was so touched🥹🥹😭😭 It had been a while since I'd had sujeonggwa, and it was sweet and delicious and went really well with the yakgwa.

What drinks and snacks are on Hanuk's menu?

Hanuk's menu has a wide range of drinks, from signature cocktails with a Korean touch to a variety of whiskies, tequila and champagne, and the snacks are Korean dishes. Whisky prices can change, so the staff told me checking the price via the QR code on the menu is more accurate.

Even the menu has Korean beauty in it.

I did take photos of the menu, but since whisky prices can change, they said checking via the QR code on the menu is more accurate. There are Korean snack dishes too, and I found myself wanting to try those next time.

Which peated whiskies come in Hanuk's Islay tour?

Hanuk's Islay tour is four peated whiskies, 15ml each: Kilchoman Machir Bay, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Lagavulin 16 and Ardbeg Uigeadail. We love peated whisky so, so much that we ordered the Islay tour.

• Kilchoman Machir Bay
• Laphroaig Quarter Cask
• Lagavulin 16
• Ardbeg Uigeadail

The smoky, hospital and bonfire aromas were just wafting up right in front of me, and I'm happy just looking at them. My favorites are Talisker and Ardbeg, but surprisingly Kilchoman suited my taste too. I'm not into a really strong hospital smell, so I still can't handle Laphroaig.

Having seen it somewhere, I swirled my glass and sniffed it for show haha. They say whisky is a perfume you drink. It's fun to sip a little, breathe out through your nose and notice the flavor in your mouth, and if you talk about what each of you tastes and smells while you drink, time flies.

Can you charge your phone at Hanuk?

I asked about charging my phone at Hanuk, and they lent me a power bank. I could charge right at my seat, which was nice.

Is Hanuk's Islay tour worth going back for?

Over a little more than an hour at Hanuk, I drank four kinds of peated whisky while also soaking in the Korean sentiment and atmosphere that only Hanuk has, and it was a really happy time. On the way out, the staff asked which whisky suited my taste and explained and recommended other whiskies, so I felt like I took away a lot.

In such a comfortable, cozy space, the detailed touches of Korean beauty were enough to show Hanuk's sense of style, and above all the staff were kind and seemed genuinely passionate about cocktails and whisky, so I definitely want to visit again. If you're looking for a bar, cocktails or whisky in Jongno, please, please, please go👍