The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery, Pernod Ricard’s first malt whisky distillery in China, is born out of our singular vision to create a new whisky culture, born in China, but borderless in its appreciation.
Proudly situated at Emei Mountain, a location steeped in Chinese culture and history yet shrouded in mystique, echoed by the gentle mist that seamlessly blends the pristine water with the majestic mountain.
This coming together of craft and cultures is distilled in The Chuan to create a malt whisky with pride for connoisseurs around the world.
Our brand name The Chuan brings to life the matrimony of the pristine nature and our whisky craftmanship with two exquisite characters steeped in the local terroir & culture.
“The”
Translates to “rich & layered”.
The character is derived from a scenic spot at the thousand-year-old temple located in Emei Mountain, and is also used to describe the complex flavor of our whisky.
“Chuan”
Represents the Chuan in Sichuan,
paying tribute to local terroir where our distillery proudly resides. The character means “river” and visually depicts the gentle flow of pristine water down Emei Mountain.
For thousands of years, Emei Mountain has been a beacon of Chinese culture and history.
Abundant rainfall and snowmelt from Emei Mountain’s peak bring a natural source of pristine water. As the pure water trickles down, unwanted elements such as iron are filtered out by the natural limestone, leaving the sweet-tasting mineral water that transforms into our whisky.
Located less than 5 kilometers away from the peak of Emei Mountain, our distillery is shrouded in mist all year round, creating a unique ambient condition for whisky making that increases the intensity of flavors.
Our Master Distiller, Dr. Yang Tao, brings his unique skills with over a decade of experience in spirit making and whisky distilling across Europe and China.
Tao has led the local team to fuse the authentic international whisky making craftsmanship with local experimentation to fully embrace the exceptional Terroir and aging condition in Emei Mountain.
Like the prelude, climax, and coda in a musical composition, The Chuan’s unique mastery of three types of oak from three continents creates a pure malt whisky with rich and layered flavors as complex as a symphony.
Bourbon cask lays the backbone with an elegant vanilla and fruity aroma and enhances the smoothness.
Sherry cask gives the pronounced fruity cake, toffee notes, creating a rich and full-bodied whisky.
The pioneering use of Chinese Single Oak cask is the pinnacle of our distillery, adding the masterstroke to The Chuan’s complex flavor profile.
The Chuan’s Chinese Single Oak is meticulously sourced from the famed and protected Changbai Mountain, where the climate is perennially harsh and cold. These casks are made from Chinese Mongolian oak trees that have grown slowly over 80 to 100 years and are extremely rare in quantity.
Chinese Single Oak requires sophisticated treatment knowledge that very few coopers around the world have had the experience. Only 1 to 1.5 Chinese Single Oak casks can be made from a Chinese Single Oak tree.
The highly porous texture of Chinese Single Oak results in a significantly higher “angel’s share” during the maturation compared to other whisky casks, increasing the exchange of flavors between the liquid and the cask, creating a mysterious oriental finish of dried tangerine peel and woody notes.
The Chuan Pure Malt Whisky has been globally recognized with multiple awards including 2024 International Spirits Challenge(Gold), 2025 International Spirits Challenge(Gold) and San Francisco World Spirits Competition(Double Gold).
This remarkable achievement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence.
The Chuan will help Pernod Ricard advance its sustainability leadership in China, as it sets new benchmarks under the Group’s ambitious set of goals. The distillery was designed to preserve the local terroir and to minimise environmental impact.
100% of the exterior walls across the production buildings, terrace and landscaping are built with boulders extracted from the ground during the levelling process, while the roof was made from recycled and new clay tiles from the local vicinity. The distillery uses 100% renewable electricity and a range of energy-efficient equipment. The Chinese casks are sourced from FSC-certified vendors.
The Chuan actively promotes sustainable packaging by using recycled glass for its glass bottle. The packaging of The Chuan whisky products are 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable.
The Yan restaurant sources ingredients locally, prioritizing local produce to support the development of agriculture.