The more than
The French wine and spirits group says it is produced using traditional whisky-making techniques combined with Chinese characteristics including locally grown barley and barrels made with oak from the Changbai mountains in northeastern
“Chinese terroir means an exceptional and unique environment for aging, including the water source here — top-notch mineral water. The source of water at
A centuries-old drink, whisky is relatively new to
Whisky consumption in
“We see huge potential for whisky here in
“As the economy develops and personal income increases, many people are pursuing individuality. In the past we all lived the same lives. When your economic conditions reach a certain level, you will start to seek your own individuality. Whisky caters just to the consumption mindset of these people. And its quality is very different from that of other alcoholic drinks,” he says.
On a recent Friday night at a bar in
“The taste of it lingers in your mouth for a very long time. If I drink it, I will keep thinking about it the rest of tonight,” she said.
Lee, who has been in the industry for more than 35 years, said the whisky boom is largely driven by younger Chinese who are more open to Western cultures and lifestyles than their parents' generation was.
More than half of China’s whisky consumers are between 18 and 29 years old, according to an analysis based on data from the e-commerce channel of Billion Bottle, which has more than 2 million registered users.
“Now the country is more and more open, and there are increasing opportunities to go abroad, and they have absorbed different kinds of cultures. They also have the courage to try new things. When they try something new — for example whisky — they realize that it’s very different from China’s baijiu. Whisky may be easier for them to accept,” Lee said.
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