UK-based spirits giant Diageo have revealed their new Chinese distillery in Eryuan County, Yunnan Province. The YunTuo Single Malt Whisky Distillery is the firm’s first facility in the country and is a symbol of their commitment to “place China firmly on the global whisky map.”
YunTuo is a massive investment for Diageo, who have pledged to invest US$120 million into the site across nine years.
Debra Crew, Diageo CEO, notes how “this stunning new distillery marks a significant milestone for Diageo in China and reflects our confidence in the future of Chinese whisky.”
She continues: “Our ambition is to combine our global heritage and whisky making craftsmanship with deep local insights to create the highest quality China-origin single malt whisky that will fire the imagination of whisky enthusiasts worldwide and place China firmly on the global whisky map.”
It is also hoped that Diageo’s presence in China with YunTuo will also help increase their other whisky brands’ - including Johnnie Walker, The Singleton and Talisker - foothold in the Chinese market.
The distillery has been designed to be a carbon neutral operation. Electric boilers and other green technology will be used across the production process. Water drawn from the nearby Erhai Lake will also be recycled to reduce waste.
In terms of the whisky, no house style has been hinted at, though we do know that cask crafted from local Yunnan oak will be used to mature some of their spirit.
Leading the production team will be distillery head Jiao Changyi. He will be supported by some of Diageo’s most experienced whisky makers. Former Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge and master blend Andrew Millsopp - who looks after a number of Diageo’s Speyside distilleries - have also been drafted in to offer guidance.
YunTao’s name is inspired by its location 2,100 meters above sea level. The elements ‘yún’ and ‘tuò’ roughly translate as ‘cloud’ and ‘exploration’ respectively.
The distillery will also provide a significant boost to the local economy. A visitor centre offering interactive tours will hopefully boost tourism in the area. A number of eye-catching features are headlined by a one of a kind 'barrel tower' in the centre's tasting area.
Additionally, Diageo have partnered with the Tourism Association to offer training in business and hospitality to local young adults.
Ultimately YunTao will be a “beacon of local whisky culture that will make YunTuo the pride of Chinese whisky and a jewel in our global whisky portfolio,” according to Diageo.
Diageo’s Chinese distillery is the latest in a number of companies better known for producing Scotch expanding into the country. Recently Pernod Ricard and Angus Dundee have both opened production facilities in China. For more information on these distilleries and the wider context of the Chinese whisky market, check out our previous article “The Dawn of Whisky Distilling in China.”
