HONG KONG, June 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pernod Ricard, the worldwide leader in the spirits industry, held the “From Chengdu to the World – Showcasing Chinese Whisky through Hong Kong: THE CHUAN” press conference today. The event was graced by the presence of Market Director of Pernod Ricard Asia Duty Free Limited, Ms Tracy Lam who served as one of the officiating guests.
(From the left) Dr Yang Tao, Master Distiller of The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery; Ms Tracy Lam, Market Director of Pernod Ricard Asia Duty Free Limited; Mr Mario He, Director of Hong Kong Chengdu Restaurant
In 2023, Pernod Ricard introduced THE CHUAN Pure Malt Whisky, which is the first-ever product realising the group’s vision of creating a prestige malt whisky made in China. Meanwhile, THE CHUAN Malt Whisky Distillery Experience Centre officially also opened in Emeishan, Sichuan, China, establishing itself as a world-class destination integrating whisky, culture, and gastronomy. In March 2026, Mr Algernon Yau, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, led a business delegation to Sichuan and Guizhou to promote Hong Kong’s advantages as a liquor trading hub and to learn about the new generation of premium Chinese spirits brands, with THE CHUAN being one of the prominent representatives at the time.
Ms Tracy Lam, Market Director of Pernod Ricard Asia Duty Free Limited, highlighted the unique strengths of the Hong Kong spirits market, “The HKSAR Government’s policies in recent years, including the adjustment of the duty on liquor and supporting Mainland wine and spirits enterprises in overseas expansion, have not only enhanced Hong Kong’s competitiveness as a liquor trading hub, but also helped Chinese spirits unleash an immense brand effect here. Pernod Ricard is seizing this opportunity by increasing investment to advance the development of Chinese whisky. The group will leverage Hong Kong’s advantages to launch our diverse products to the international markets, enabling THE CHUAN to start from Chengdu and reach the world.”
At the press conference, Pernod Ricard announced that THE CHUAN will launch two brand-new products, including THE CHUAN Pure Malt Whisky – Finished in Smoked Chinese Single Oak Cask, crafted using the brand’s proprietary and exclusive “Chinese Single Oak®” casks, and THE CHUAN Pure Malt Whisky – Finished in Pedro Ximénez Cask. Both will be introduced to the market within a year, further expanding the development of Chinese whisky.
The group also announced that THE CHUAN will collaborate with Chengdu Restaurant HK, a Michelin-starred and Black Pearl one-diamond restaurant introduced from the Chinese Mainland by Invest Hong Kong, to launch an exclusive whisky-pairing dining experience. This collaboration presents a brand-new interpretation of the Sichuan dining culture to promote both Chinese whisky and Chinese culture globally through Hong Kong.
THE CHUAN: The First Chinese-made Whisky Brand from an International Spirits and Wine Group
THE CHUAN is the first Chinese whisky brand established by the internationally renowned spirits and wine group, Pernod Ricard. With a vision to create a whisky with local ingredients and distinct Chinese characteristics, the brand has been introducing malt whisky made in China since 2023. Led by Master Distiller Dr Yang Tao, the local team crafted the inaugural product, THE CHUAN Pure Malt Whisky, utilising the unique mastery of three types of oak from three continents, including Bourbon casks from America, Sherry casks from Spain, and proprietary Chinese Single Oak casks from the Changbai Mountain. This meticulous process yields a rich, complex, and layered Chinese whisky with a uniquely oriental, woody and spicy finish.
To produce authentic Chinese whisky, Pernod Ricard selected Emeishan in Sichuan as the home for THE CHUAN’s distillery, committing a continuous investment of one billion RMB to contribute the high-quality development of Sichuan through agriculture, whisky-making industries, and tourism. Opened also in 2023, THE CHUAN Malt Whisky Distillery Experience Centre allows visitors to delve deep into the whisky-making journey while offering an incomparable all-round experience that complements THE CHUAN whisky perfectly.
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About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is a worldwide leader in the spirits and wine industry, blending traditional craftsmanship, state-of-the-art brand development, and global distribution technologies. Our prestigious portfolio of premium to luxury brands includes Absolut vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur and Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes. Our mission is to ensure the long-term growth of our brands with full respect for people and the environment, while empowering our employees around the world to be ambassadors of our purposeful, inclusive and responsible culture of authentic conviviality. Pernod Ricard’s consolidated sales amounted to € 11,598 million in fiscal year FY24.
Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.
