The Spirits Business reported on Monday that Nine Rivers Distillery began distilling whisky and filling casks, marking an important milestone. The company’s origins date back to 2018, when 300 whisky fans from 28 countries helped crowdfund it.
Nine Rivers has an impressive production team, and The Whiskey Wash reported in 2023 that the brand hired ex-Macallan Master of Wood Stuart MacPherson.
Spirits Business reports that 20 people founded Nine Rivers, including its founder and CEO, Jay Robertson. According to his LinkedIn profile, Robertson has a robust background in founding a variety of spirits and wine companies. Robertson founded Oak and Barley and the Chinese wine and gourmet food shop Château Bole.
Nine Rivers filled its first casks on July 10 after making its first mash on June 25. The company doesn’t aim to be solely a whisky brand, it aims to make other spirits like vodka, gin and rum as well.
The Whiskies Nine Rivers Currently Has Available
Though whisky from its distillate is a few years out for this Chinese brand, Nine Rivers currently has a few whiskies within its portfolio. The Founders’ Casks Series consists of several different offerings in a variety of styles. Each whisky showcases the types of whisky Nine Rivers aims to make for the public as it finds its footing.
The series originated after some Nine Rivers founders got together and had a few coffees. They wrote out ideas of the exact type of whiskies they wanted to create for the distillery on pads of paper. For several hours, they planned out what types of casks they would use in the finishing process and the exact flavor profile they wanted to achieve. That initial brainstorming session served as the impetus for the series. It set up the whisky profile identity for Nine Rivers as well.
According to The Spirits Business, Nine Rivers has a 3.5 million LPA production capacity, and it will increase to 7.5 million LPA in the future. The outlet reports that the Chinese crowdfunded whisky brand will construct a cooperage at the property. The whisky brand uses its own floor maltings within the production process.
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