Product image of Captain Q. [Lotte Chilsung Beverage]
Product image of Captain Q. [Lotte Chilsung Beverage]

Lotte Chilsung Beverage announced Thursday it is relaunching Captain Q, a Yangju brand first introduced in 1980 and later discontinued, marking its return after 11 years.

Captain Q helped drive the popularization of Yangju in South Korea during the 1980s and 1990s before being discontinued in 2015. The revived product uses authentic Caribbean rum distillate, first aged in bourbon casks and then finished in PX sherry casks. The process yields a deep, rich flavor with a sweet and smooth profile. Each bottle holds 360 milliliters at 35 percent alcohol by volume.

The bottle design recreates the original Captain Q look, retaining deep green as its signature color. To mark the relaunch, the company is also releasing a limited-edition "Captain Q Treasure Box" package, with 12,000 sets available. Each set contains two bottles, a stainless steel cup and a commemorative coin; the 1980 set in particular includes a pure silver commemorative coin weighing 1.5 don. The Treasure Box package will be available at hypermarkets, convenience stores and other retailers.

Captain Q sold about 10 million bottles within its first year after launching in 1980. A 180-milliliter pocket-sized version introduced in 1985 also proved popular as a portable option for travel, picnics and other outdoor activities.

Lotte Chilsung Beverage said the relaunch is aimed at tapping into a growing "newtro" consumer culture — a trend of rediscovering and reinterpreting nostalgic brands — while also responding to rising demand for value-priced whisky in the broader liquor market. The company said it plans to use Captain Q to attract a new generation of consumers.

"It is meaningful to be able to reintroduce Captain Q, a brand that has been loved by consumers for so long," a Lotte Chilsung Beverage official said. "With its sweet and smooth taste at an accessible price, we hope both first-time drinkers and those who remember it fondly can enjoy it without hesitation."


korean@heraldcorp.com