Nine Rivers Distillery

History

Origin

Nine Rivers Distillery arose from a group of friends who gathered around a good bottle of whisky and began discussing how to create a Swedish/English-inspired high-quality whisky in China. This conversation evolved into the company Nine Rivers Distillery.

Milestones and Development

• 2017: Whisky Networking started in the Guangdong and Beijing areas, with hosts and events that gradually paved the way for the project.

• 2018–2019: Expansion of whisky activities to other cities in China (Tianjin, Shenyang, Wuhan), where events and social whisky events were held.

• 2019: Contact and support from AMCHAM South China; exploration of opportunities in the Longyan area; Longyan partnership and agreement on investment and collaboration began to take shape.

• 2019: Nine Rivers Distillery Longyan City registered (久溪酒业 Longyan City) in China with a WFOE structure through Hong Kong activity.

• 2020: Agreement to purchase land and commence infrastructure; the land parcel was selected and prepared for construction.

• 2022: Series A fundraising began; plan for four phases to reach 1.31 million LPA and purchase of 6,000+ casks, as well as start of construction and equipment.

• 2023: Launch of The Founders’ Casks Expression; first three stills arrived from Forsyths in Scotland; opening days and investor events held.

• 2023–2024: Open Day events for investors; planned installation of equipment in 2024 and expected spirit production by November 2024.

• 2022–2024: The number of people involved reached 98, spread across 23 countries, bearing witness to an international team and network around the project.

Team and Investment

The project is built through a broad international network of founders, investors and advisers, including a board and an advisory panel of experts. Many of the investors also serve as brand ambassadors and actively contribute to the development of the brand, products and marketing.

Philosophy and Environment

Nine Rivers combines old Western whisky traditions with modern technology to minimize energy and resource use. The nature and the purity of water play a central role in production, and there is emphasis on traceability using NFC technology, recyclable waste and packaging materials, and sustainable energy use.

Production / Manufacturing

Core Principles

• Produces vodka, gin, rhum and whisky as well as liqueurs – with a focus on whisky as the core of the portfolio.

• Use of on-site malting and grist, varied by style and mash bills.

• Use of high-pressure/heat exchangers and an energy-efficient equipment concept to reduce energy consumption compared with traditional distilleries.

Ingredients and Water

• Grain composition and sources: precisely selected grains from the USA (wheat and barley from Montana, corn from Kentucky, rye from Nebraska).

• Water sourcing: Water drawn from an ancient source under 300 meters of volcanic granite, free from salts and minerals that could affect flavor.

Production Process

• Milling and mashing: Grains are milled and mashed on site with varying grist consistency depending on whisky style. The basis is a brew-house process.

• Fermentation: Fermentation lasts about 110–120 hours to achieve a richer and more complex wash.

• First Distillation: The wash is heated in a self-designed wash still, producing low wines at 22–24% ABV and using heat exchangers to recirculate heat.

• Second Distillation: Duration around 8 hours; selection of the heart (about 14% of total volume) and separation of heads/foreshots/tails to ensure high-quality spirit.

• Drying and Maturation: The whisky casks are hand-picked and selected through optical and chemical analyses to determine properties and predictability in flavor and aroma.

• Finish: After a minimum of 3 years in oak casks, the whisky may receive additional finishes in Port, Sherry and other cask types (red wine, white wine, craft beer, cider, gin and cocktails).

• Capacity: At full operation planned up to 7.5 million LPA; startup functionality 1.31 million LPA with batch sizes around 30,000 liters and 12–15 casks per batch.

Technology and Sustainability

• Technology-driven production with an agitation system and collective heat exchange, which reduces energy consumption and extends the lifespan of the distillation equipment.

• Waste and by-products are recycled: used grain for animal feed; pot ale and stillage are broken down into biogas for local use.

• Traceability: NFC chips enable tracing all inputs down to the grain, ensuring quality in every bottle.

• Environment and packaging: Recycled glass and sustainable packaging based on renewable materials.

Production Capacity / Throughput

• Complete portfolio of premium spirits: vodka, gin, rhum, liqueurs and whisky. At full capacity, annual production of up to 7.5 million LPA of whisky is expected.

• Rationale for technique and flavor: small batch sizes and variation in different mash bills and cask finishes to preserve character in each batch.

Products / Whisky Series

• Portfolio: A complete portfolio of premium spirits – vodka, gin, rhum, liqueurs and whisky.

• The Founders’ Casks Expression: One of the early offerings to cask owners clubs and investors.

• Cask finishes: Port and Sherry as well as casks previously used to ferment and mature various wines (red wine, white wine), craft beer, cider, gin and cocktails.

• Limited cask programs: 99 People and You – Cask Owners Club, where up to 100 casks can be sold to private cask owners annually after the selection process.

Visits / Experiences

• Open Day and Investor events: Open days where investors and interested parties can see the project and meet the people involved.

• Social whisky events: Monthly whisky evenings and social whisky events that support the community around Nine Rivers Distillery.

• WeChat and social media: QR codes to the official WeChat account and LinkedIn to follow the project's development.

Philosophy

• Pristine Water: The water is sourced 300 meters beneath volcanic granite and is free from salts and minerals, which highlights the grain and character.

• Natural Environment: Located at an elevation of 800 meters with a unique microclimate that fosters better harmony between the spirit and the cask.

• Recycled Grains: All used grains are recycled as animal feed to reduce waste.

• Traceability: Uses NFC chips to trace all inputs in each bottle, down to the grain.

• Waste Management: Crops and by-products are converted into biogas and fertilizer for the local community.

• Technology-Driven: A combination of traditional copper distillation separation and a new system of blending and heat utilization to reduce energy use.

• Pure, Natural Ingredients: Only three ingredients are used in whisky production: grain, water, and yeast; emphasis on quality raw materials from the USA and natural spring water for a unique flavor.

Sources and Technology

• At full capacity, Nine Rivers will produce a range of products with a strong focus on whisky and premium spirits, with a focus on sustainable processes and traceability throughout the production chain.