Pernod Ricard in high spirits as work begins on Emeishan distillery in China

A sip from a warm dram of whisky, tinged with a soft yet intense fruity fragrance, is not just a tonic to slake the thirst, but also a unique cultural experience deeply rooted in its place of origin.

Just as the aroma of apricot jam and vanilla fudge peeling off the 27-year-old Glenlivet single cask malt whisky may remind you of crisp clean air, pine forests and the crystal waters of River Spey in Speyside, northeastern Scotland, a new type of whisky is set to create its own unique identity in China.

The world's leading spirits producer, Pernod Ricard, is to create a taste of the company's distillation and fermentation techniques intermingled with the natural endowments of Emeishan city in Southwest China's Sichuan province.