For this Chinese whisky distillery, making a tipple with a local accent is about ‘balance’

To most people, “terroir” means the natural environment in which wines and whiskies are produced, and which gives them their unique characteristics. To Beijing-born whisky distiller Yang Tao, it can also mean the human spirit. He showcases this in The Chuan, “China’s first prestige malt whisky”, launched in mainland China in December 2023 and in Hong Kong in August 2025. The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery sits at the base of Mount Emei, one of Buddhism’s four sacred mountains of China, in Sichuan province, two hours from Chengdu. The distillery, which is mainland China’s first prestige whisky maker, was launched by Pernod Ricard. Yang previously worked for the international spirits giant in Scotland before helping build the Chinese distillery. “We want to respect the tradition of whisky, but new elements are bound to emerge as whisky-making migrates to new environments,” Yang tells the Post. “For example, whiskey made in the United States has a more wild, untethered and stimulating quality; Scotch whisky is clearer and more elegant, like a gentleman; Japanese whisky is soft and gentle, like sashimi.” As for The Chuan, Yang thinks it should possess a mild and moderate temperament, in line with the Taoist emphasis on harmony. Yang, who has worked in the spirits industry since 2006, says that China’s natural resources are the foundation of the distillery. From the water flowing down Mount Emei to the Danling oak – from the protected Changbai Mountains in northeastern China – used to make the barrels, they all help shape the whisky. Many Chinese liquor producers have distilleries in Sichuan province or neighbouring Yunnan province, and Yang says this is because of the region’s terroir. “Firstly, we are upstream of the Yellow River, which means the water is of higher quality. Secondly, it’s not windy here and the weather is relatively mild. Lastly, the humidity and light drizzle create an optimal environment for mushrooms and microorganisms.” Details such as these are explained in The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery Experience Centre, beside the distillery. The complex, open to the public, was designed with sustainability in mind by Chinese architecture studio Neri & Hu. Contemporary Chinese artist Zhan Wang’s steel sculptures, collectively titled Fractal Structure – Infinite Shan Shui, are thoughtfully installed throughout the site. Visitors can take part in a 90-minute sensory walking tour to learn about The Chuan, from the meaning of its Chinese name – layers and rivers – to details about its logo, Mount Emei’s terroir, and the European and Chinese barley used to make the whisky. There is also an outdoor salon where visitors can touch the wood used to make the whisky barrels. As some of the first people to produce whisky in mainland China, Yang and his team found themselves in uncharted territory, which made choosing the right wood for their barrels a challenge. The team initially wanted to use Chinese oak casks, but many carpenters suggested using easier-to-find French oak. Today, the casks in which The Chuan is matured are made of oak from various places. American bourbon casks imbue the spirit with coconut, vanilla and cream notes, while Spanish sherry casks add notes of toffee, raisin, nut and chocolate. The team did, however, persist in its pursuit of Chinese oak, jumping through legal hoops to harvest the Danling oak for its barrels. “If we’re only going to use French wood, why don’t we just distil it in Europe?” Yang says. “We believe in making a Chinese whisky unique to China.” The distillery now uses Danling oak trees that are 80 to 100 years old. They emit an enticing aroma of sandalwood and mandarin peel, contributing to The Chuan’s unmistakable Chinese character. “Ultimately, it’s about a pursuit of beauty that is very Chinese. It’s about the balance in yin and yang and layering different aspects together to create something with smoothness and richness. The West has its philosophies, as do we, in things like our tea and cuisine,” Yang says. The team behind The Chuan – and many serious Chinese drinkers – poetically translate terroir to “wind and soil”, or fengtu in Mandarin. But fengtu carries a broader meaning beyond nature to encompass human traditions and experiences. Accordingly, it is not just the ingredients, but the culture that surrounds it, that makes The Chuan quintessentially Chinese. This is reflected at The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery Experience Centre, where tours begin with a small cup of tea. There is also a whisky tasting bar, a gift and coffee shop, and a restaurant called The Yan. The Yan was launched in collaboration with Art Yinba, a refined Sichuan restaurant in Chengdu, and takes advantage of the local terroir to create innovative dishes. At this Post writer’s visit in mid-October, the 14-course menu included a three-part Sichuan-inspired amuse-bouche with seasonal organic vegetables, another three-part appetiser including foie gras marinated in bourbon barrel-aged whisky and topped with caviar and wrapped in rice paper, a Danling oak-smoked pigeon with peppercorn and grilled pigeon innards, and a yak shoulder clod aged in oak-infused oil for 30 days. No fine-dining experience is complete without drink pairings, all of which were from The Chuan: a pure malt whisky, a Danling single oak whisky and a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask option to conclude the meal. Currently, only The Chuan’s pure malt whisky is for sale, but Yang says his team has been test-farming a new breed of barley in Sichuan and working towards using its own cultured yeast, which is still in the early development stage. Yang quips that he is thankful the distillery has not pressured him too much to make a single malt whisky, but he hopes to present it to the market in a few years. “The goal is not to clash or compete with anything already on the market, but to fill in gaps and supplement what is already there,” he says. “I think it’s important to have diversity, and The Chuan is about sharing whisky culture here and promoting China pride to the world.”

For this Chinese whisky distillery, making a tipple with a local accent is about ‘balance’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}In the mountains of Sichuan province, The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery works in harmony with nature to create expressions of Chinese culture

In the mountains of Sichuan province, The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery works in harmony with nature to create expressions of Chinese culture