Pernod Ricard’s malt whisky distillery in Mount Emei, China’s first-ever iconic malt whisky distillery invested by an international spirits and wine group, is nearing completion. The 13-hectare distillery site is situated in Mount Emei, Sichuan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a land imbued with cultural significance. From the tales of emperors to the verses of poets, for hundreds of years, Emei has been enshrouded with mist and a deep spirituality.
In designing the malt whisky distillery, Neri&Hu has maintained a profound appreciation for the site’s natural resources, the local cultural heritage, and the craft of whisky-making. The project is anchored by the concept of duality in ancient Chinese philosophy: two elements may exist in opposition yet complement each other.
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- Rendering: View from Building 5
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- Rendering: Building 6 courtyard
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- Rendering: In-between view
Located less than five kilometers away from the peak of Mount Emei, the Distillery is surrounded on three sides by the winding creek—it epitomizes the Chinese notion of shan-shui, the classic mountain-water microcosm. From the iconic viewing platform, which provides a 360-panoramic vista of the site, visitors may contemplate the pinnacle of the mountain, turns of the river, the quiet agricultural terraces and breath-taking rock cliffs.
Apart from production facilities, the Distillery offers an immersive visitor experience, complete with educational tours of the whisky making process, tasting rooms, an immersive visitor center with the ambition of complementing the local tourism industry by becoming a new world-class destination. The industrial components of the Distillery showcase a modern interpretation of vernacular Chinese architecture, whilst the visitor center features timeless elemental geometries embedded in the terrain.
The material palette used throughout the Distillery takes inspiration from its surroundings. The stone walls are built with boulders extracted from the ground during the levelling process; the roofing is made of reclaimed and new clay tiles from the local region. In addition, accent materials, such as copper and wood, are informed by the art of whisky-making.
The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2021. Aiming to become the most iconic malt whisky distillery in China, this world-class cultural destination will be open to visitors in 2023.
