Goalong Single Malt Chinese Whisky
China isn’t the first place that springs to mind when talking about whisky. It’s not even the second, third or 33rd. But big changes are happening in China’s whiskey scene that could see it – one day – join the ranks of New World whiskey regions such as Taiwan, India and Japan.
Has it got what it takes? Two of the world’s biggest drinks producers think so. Diageo and Pernod Ricard – the makers of Johnnie Walker and Chivas Regal respectively – have spent millions building distilleries in China. Diageo’s Eryuan distillery, in Yunnan, is currently under construction. While Pernod released its first single malt, The Chuan, from its Sichuan distillery, in November 2023 (currently only available in China).
Pernod Ricard’s The Chuan Distillery in Sichaun
In the same month, Camus Holdings, French owners of Camus Cognac, also began construction of its Guqi Distillery. The new US$30m facility in Bozhou, Anhui province, will produce single malts. It’s clear that producers see an opportunity in China…
Why bother with Chinese whiskey? Yes, it’s novel, but confidence is growing, both inside and outside of China. In 2023, The Whisky Exchange became the first UK retailer to stock Chinese whiskey, with a trio of malts from the Goalong Distillery in Hunan.
‘I don’t want to follow trends, I want to lead them,’ says Dawn Davies MW, spirits buyer at The Whisky Exchange. ‘Getting on board with China was
