青岛啤酒联手爱尔兰Great Northern蒸馏厂进军威士忌市场

Chinese brewer Tsingtao has joined forces with Great Northern Distillery to make Irish whiskey for Asian consumers, with plans to open a distillery in China.

Tsingtao is one of the world's largest producers of beer, selling 7.648 million kilolitres in 2025, while also generating around €4 billion (US$4.6bn) in operating revenue and €574 million (US$660m) in net profit last year. Described as a long-term cooperation agreement, the partnership will see Great Northern Distillery supply Tsingtao with a range of mature Irish whiskeys from across its full portfolio. These will span whiskeys aged from three to 21 years, and will be distributed through the brewer’s network in China. The two companies will also work together to create whiskey for the Asian consumer. A specialist blending team will create whiskey styles tailored to Chinese tastes and consumer preference. Chairman of Great Northern Distillery, John Teeling, said Irish whiskey's “smooth, mellow and slightly sweeter character” is “particularly well suited to Asian consumers”. The extended Teeling family controls the 100% Irish-owned Great Northern Distillery, which was established in 2014 by John Teeling, Jim Finn and David Hynes. Based in Dundalk, County Louth, the company is one of Ireland’s biggest distilling groups and operates two modern distilleries with annual production capacity of 8m litres in pot stills and 12m litres in column stills. Tsingtao is also planning its own whisky distillery in China, for which Great Northern Distillery will provide technical expertise and support as part of the agreement. Significant opportunity for Irish whiskey Teeling added that ”great products require great distribution”, highlighting Tsingtao’s distribution network, which “reaches every region of China and continues to expand internationally”. “There can be no better partner than Tsingtao Brewery,” he said. “It has taken considerable commitment from many people to reach this point, and I believe the future for this partnership is extremely bright." Teeling also highlighted the platform the partnership can bring for Irish whiskey, in developing the category in one of the world's biggest consumer markets. "This agreement represents a tremendous opportunity to participate in what I believe will be the next great growth market for Irish whiskey,” he said. “Over the coming years, perhaps one billion people across Asia will join the middle class. As incomes rise, consumers increasingly seek premium international products and experiences, and Irish whiskey is exceptionally well placed to meet that demand.” Ireland’s minister of state for community development, charities and rural transport, Jerry Buttimer, also shared a comment. He called the partnership a "strong example of the opportunities that exist when Irish and Chinese businesses work together". “The Irish government is committed to developing sustainable trade and investment links with China, and partnerships like this help strengthen our economic relationship while creating new opportunities for both countries," Buttimer added. Exports of Irish whiskey declined by 5% in value in 2025, with its biggest market, the US, hit by various headwinds. However, Irish food and drink agency Bord Bia has identified diversifying Irish whiskey sales as a key trend for the sector, with China among the emerging markets that are 'developing strongly'. The Irish Whiskey Association has labelled China as having “monumental” potential as a market for Irish whiskey brands.