Chinese whisky is no longer emerging quietly. Across the country, distilleries are beginning to carve out identities of their own — not simply borrowing from Scotch traditions, but exploring how local ingredients, climate, and culture can shape whisky in distinctly Chinese ways.
Few are pursuing that ambition as visibly as Laizhou Distillery. With a large-scale production facility in Sichuan, hundreds of thousands of casks already maturing, and a growing collection of internationally recognised single malts, the distillery is positioning itself at the forefront of a rapidly evolving Chinese whisky industry.
Until recently, China may not have been strongly associated with whisky production, but Laizhou has set its sights on changing that. Its mission is bold: "Making China the World's New Whisky Destination".
For master distiller and master blender Evan Wu, the goal is not to create an imitation of Scotland, but a whisky that reflects Chinese flavour, culture, and terroir.
That philosophy can be seen in everything from the distillery's use of Chinese Mongolian oak and the world's first Huangjiu-matured whisky casks — inspired by the role sherry casks have played in Scotch whisky — to its broader approach to maturation, flavour development, and cask selection. As Wu puts it: "That can surprise whisky lovers because you cannot find these styles in other countries."
While the distillery draws on familiar whisky influences — bourbon, sherry, and peat among them — the aim is to reinterpret them through a Chinese lens. Huangjiu, a traditional Chinese rice wine, provides a bridge between recognisable whisky flavours and something more culturally specific.
"Huangjiu is one of the oldest wines in China and it can offer fermented grain aromas and umami characteristics," says Wu. "Sherry casks are commonly used in Scotland, so we asked ourselves if we could find another cask that would feel more familiar to Chinese consumers."
Laizhou works with more than 50 cask types, combining them through its "multi-cask fusion" technique — an approach designed to build balance and nuance to its whisky, even at a relatively young age.
Rather than allowing a single cask type to dominate, Laizhou's approach is built around harmony, drawing character from dozens of different cask influences to create a more layered style of whisky.
"In Scotland, people often prefer one or two sherry casks, but for us it's different," Wu says. "We create balance between many different casks. We want to give more depth, complexity, and richness to our whisky — flavours you can notice from just three or four years of maturation."
The approach to creating a distinctly Chinese whisky comes not only through the use of unique cask types, but also through the local terroir that plays a role in shaping Laizhou's whisky.
Climate also plays a defining role in shaping the spirit. Sichuan’s humid, subtropical conditions accelerate maturation in a way quite different to Scotland’s cooler warehouses.
“In Sichuan we have hotter temperatures and a much more humid environment, so I think it affects maturation a lot,” Wu explains. “The speed of maturation is much quicker than in Scotland.”
Chinese whisky is still writing its story, and producers such as Laizhou are helping define what that future might look like. Laizhou is interested in adding something new to the wider whisky conversation.
"Whisky lovers always want to try something different," says Wu. "For me, I'm also a whisky lover. Every time I travel to another country, I go to a whisky bar and try different whiskies from around the world."
In that sense, Laizhou's appeal may lie not in how closely it resembles established whisky regions, but in how clearly it expresses a growing Chinese whisky identity of its own.
Tasting notes
Laizhou Finest Select
Nose: Delicate and inviting, opening with white flowers, orchard fruits, and soft vanilla sweetness. Notes of apple and pear sit alongside honey, while a subtle tea-like character adds an intriguing aromatic lift.
Palate: Silky and approachable, with layers of floral sweetness, stone fruit, and gentle oak spice. The distillery's multi-cask fusion approach brings depth without weight, allowing notes of honey, vanilla, and delicate fruit to unfold gradually across the palate.
Finish: Long, smooth, and elegant. Lingering floral notes and soft sweetness give way to a distinctive tea-like character reminiscent of lightly infused Chinese oolong.
Laizhou Sherry Harmony
Nose: Raisins, dates, and dried fruits lead the way, supported by butterscotch, honey, and hints of brown sugar. Rich and expressive, yet remarkably fresh for a heavily sherried whisky.
Palate: Layers of treacle, sticky dates, and caramelised sugar unfold alongside warming spice and dark cherry. Despite the influence of multiple sherry cask styles, the whisky remains balanced and approachable, with a rounded texture and notable freshness.
Finish: Long and mouthcoating, with lingering notes of brown sugar, dried fruit, and gentle oak spice. A subtle herbal edge adds complexity to the sweet finish.
Laizhou Peated Bourbon Cask
Nose: Soft wood smoke rises from the glass alongside vanilla, malted cereals, and fresh orchard fruit. The peat is subtle and integrated, complementing rather than dominating the spirit.
Palate: Elegant and beautifully balanced. Sweet vanilla, pear, and cereal notes arrive first before delicate wisps of smoke gradually build across the palate. The peat acts as seasoning rather than a defining flavour, adding depth while allowing the spirit character to shine through.
Finish: Lingering smoke, honeyed sweetness, and gentle oak. Clean, warming, and remarkably approachable, with the smoky notes fading slowly into malt and vanilla.
