Scotch whisky company Angus Dundee Distillers is building a malt whisky distillery and visitor experience in China.
Construction has begun on the new distillery, which is located on a 20-acre site near Thousand Island Lake in Chun'an, Zhejiang province. The distillery will source its water from the Nongfu Spring (which lends its name to China's largest bottled water supplier) and will boast a huge maturation cellar within a cave in a nearby mountain.
Angus Dundee Distillers currently owns two malt whisky distilleries in Scotland: Tomintoul on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, and the historic Glencadam near Brechin in the Highlands. It also produces the Ballantruan peated single malt Scotch whisky brand.
Brian Megson, director of Angus Dundee Distillers, said: “This investment is a major milestone for Angus Dundee Distillers and builds on our existing presence in China, a whisky market which we regard as one of the most important for the future. We are combining our notable Western heritage in producing the finest Scottish single malts with Eastern traditions in a location of exceptional natural beauty and resources.
“We want to create one of the leading distilleries in Asia, combining world-class whisky production with an outstanding visitor experience.”
Angus Dundee Distillers joins a parade of Scotch whisky companies looking to make their mark on the growing Chinese market.
Pernod Ricard's Chinese distillery, The Chuan, which started production in 2021, announced the opening of its visitor centre last week. In November 2021 Diageo broke ground on its Eryuan Distillery, a US$75 million facility which will be focused on single malt production. Construction on the Nine Rivers Distillery, backed by an international consortium of investors, started in late 2022, and last month, Cognac giant Camus broke ground on its own US$30 million malt whisky distillery, Guqi, in Anhui Province.
