Camus Cognac Is Opening a Chinese Whisky Distillery Alongside a Historic Baiju Brand

Camus Cognac teamed up with a historic baiju brand to build a whisky distillery in China, and the distillery has begun production. (Photo: AP Photo/The Casper Star-Tribune, Alan Rogers)

Drinks International reported on Thursday that Guqi Distillery, a whisky brand that is the result of a partnership between Camus Cognac and baijiu brand Gujinggong, has begun making its own distillate in Bozhou, China.

“At Guqi, we believe that greatness comes from drawing inspiration across time and cultures,” Guqi Distillery General Manager Ryan Camus said in a news release. “Through the combination of ancient Chinese wisdom and modern Western techniques, we are reimagining what is possible in whisky.”

The whisky distillery claimed it would implement a cross-pollination of French blending techniques, Scottish maturation processes and antique baiju fermentation practices.

News of Camus and the baiju company Gujinggong’s joint venture first made headlines in November 2023. The cognac brand and over 500-year-old baijiu company both shared they aspired to create the “world’s most aromatic whiskies.”

According to Drinks International, Guqi will be producing two whisky lines. One is a premium line of Chinese single malts, and the other is a line of herbal whiskies that are produced with Chinese herbs. However, it is unclear as to whether the production process for the herbal whisky line will involve steeping the liquid in botanicals, akin to the gin production process, or if it will be entirely different.

Multiple spirits brands have looked towards China as a future heavy hitter in the whisky world. In December 2023, Pernod Ricard launched its first Chinese whisky, The Chuan. The single malt was the first to be released from the distillery since it opened in December 2021.

As far as whether local palates will take to The Chuan, it appears executives at the spirits supplier believe that the Chinese marketplace has the potential to be a lucrative one.

“Chinese consumers are really developing a taste for diverse profiles of spirits, in particular whiskies,” Pernod Ricard China CEO Jerome Cottin-Bizonne said, according to a news release. “We believe the potential is quite significant over the next decade or so.”