POPULARITY OF NATION'S MATURING WHISKY INDUSTRY UNCORKED

Distillers mushroom across the country, producing spirit with a local twist

In the eastern outskirts of Anshun, Guizhou province, where mist clings to the lush hillsides and the scent of damp earth hangs in the air, a rare microclimate is nurturing China's emerging whisky industry.

Resembling the climate conditions of Scotland's Highlands, the area is home to Panda Brew's whisky distillery, where nearly 2,000 casks of the liquid are laying the groundwork for China's next generation of whisky production.

The whisky, made from imported malted barley and distilled using self-developed equipment, is undergoing the maturation process.