Spirit's giant Diageo has launched a new whisky, Zhong Shi Ji, in China in association with Jiangsu Yanghe Distillery.
The new-to-world whisky, which blends the taste of the east and the west, has been carefully and specially crafted by master blenders and distillers from Scotland and China, the company said.
Zhong Shi Ji whisky is produced by Jiangsu Yanghe Diageo Spirit Co. Ltd, a new joint venture between Diageo and Yanghe, China’s third-largest Baijiu distiller.
'A New Era'
C.H. Chu, managing director, Diageo Greater China, commented, "We believe that Zhong Shi Ji can play an important role in the Chinese dining occasion, launching a new era for whisky drinkers in China.
"Through our new partnership with Yanghe, we are well placed to leverage our strengths in craftsmanship, brand building, and distribution."
The new whisky is an outcome of the collaboration between Diageo Scotch Whisky master blender, Craig Wallace, and China Alcoholic Drinks Association's Chinese Baijiu master, Zhou Xinhu.
Vice-president of Yanghe, Zhu Wei, said, "I firmly believe Zhong Shi Ji will quickly become Chinese consumers’ new favourite, with its ultra-smooth taste and superior quality, created through unique processes and craftsmanship from both China and the West."
Market Status
China is the world’s largest total beverage alcohol (‘TBA’) market with retail sales value of US$178 billion (€158.9) per annum, according to 2017 figures fromIWSR.
The largest category is Baijiu, also known as Chinese white spirit.
International spirits currently comprise around 3% of the TBA market, with Scotch being the second-largest in the category.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
