It All Started With a Group of Whisky Lovers
We realised we were saying the same thing too often: “Whisky isn’t what it used to be.” For as long as we had all been drinking whisky, we had watched corners get cut, flavours and aromas fade, and the soul of the spirit destroyed.
About Nine Rivers
Hidden in the Mountains of Longyan
Tucked into the mountains of Dachi Town, west of Longyan, Nine Rivers Distillery sits within a landscape of rare natural beauty — nearly 80% forest, home to UNESCO geoparks and the world-famous Fujian Tulou.
This place was chosen by more than 300 whisky lovers from across the globe, who decided to stop dreaming and start building: a single malt distillery making world-class whisky everyone can enjoy. Mountain springs rise through igneous and sedimentary rock, filtered by nature over thousands of years — pristine water, fertile land.
We honour that legacy, then add a few modern touches, because great distilling belongs to the 21st century. Whether vodka, gin, rum or whisky, our standards go beyond what the industry expects. This website is our open door — because great whisky isn’t just made. It’s shared.
Sustainability
Responsible by Design
We combine age-old western traditions with modern advances in technology to minimise energy usage and reduce our carbon footprint.
We harvest energy using air-source heat pumps, recycle heat through highly optimised exchangers, and draw cooling from natural airflow and smart architecture. Our waste becomes animal feed and fertiliser; our packaging is recycled glass and renewable sources.
We see all of these things as common sense and responsible business.
Facts & Figures
The Numbers Behind the Spirit
Located in a remote mountain village with a unique microclimate similar to the Lowlands of Scotland.
Our water filtered beneath volcanic granite for thousands of years — pure, crisp, and mineral-free.
At full capacity, Nine Rivers will produce 7.5 million litres of pure alcohol per year.
Proprietary NFC chips track every ingredient right down to the individual grain in each bottle.
The Craft
How Do We Make Whisky?
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Step 01 / 06Pure, Natural Ingredients
Only three things make whisky: grains, water and yeast. With so few ingredients, the quality of each is of absolute importance. Our pristine mountain spring water and carefully selected grains form the backbone of every Nine Rivers spirit.
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Step 02 / 06Milling & Mashing
We mill our own grains on-site to different consistencies depending on the whisky style. The objective is to crack the grains, separate the husks, and create flour — then mash with our pristine spring water to extract every drop of fermentable sugar.
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Step 03 / 06Fermentation
Fermentation is the magic that happens in our washbacks — converting sugars from the wort into the first stage of alcohol we call wash. The speed and temperature of fermentation are carefully controlled to shape the flavour profile of the final spirit.
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Step 04 / 06First Distillation
During our first distillation we warm the wash gradually so alcohols and other compounds evaporate and are condensed back to a liquid between 22–24% ABV. This low wine forms the raw material for our second, more refined distillation.
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Step 05 / 06Second Distillation
Our second distillation takes approximately 8 hours. We carefully cut the finest heart of the distillate — roughly 14% of the total volume — producing a pure, refined new-make spirit that reflects everything we stand for.
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Step 06 / 06Oak Cask Maturation
Drawing on learnings from the world's finest whisky producers, we recognise that cask quality makes or breaks a whisky. After mandatory three years in selected oak, some of our expressions go on for further cask finishes — adding depth and complexity.
Whisky Networking China
Where Nine Rivers Began
Over time, those monthly meetups asked a dangerous question: why isn’t whisky as good as it used to be? That question became Nine Rivers Distillery. Today it’s a national network of monthly whisky events across China — still no pretension, still no self-proclaimed experts. Just people who enjoy good company and an honest dram.
Own a Piece of the Journey