Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation Linkou Distillery Introduction
Linkou Distillery is a new distillery formed by the merger of the Taipei Distillery (1921), Banqiao Distillery (1937), and Shulin Distillery (1906), boasting nearly a century of history. It officially began mass production in the spring of 1987. Each of the original three distilleries had different products and cultural characteristics. After their merger, it developed into the largest production facility in northern Taiwan, equipped with the most modern machinery for rice-based alcoholic beverages. Since its establishment, Linkou Distillery has primarily focused on producing Shaoxing wine. In 1996, it utilized the original Shaoxing wine production equipment to brew Japanese sake and successfully launched "Yuqian Sake," making it the only distillery in the country to produce Japanese sake. In 2004, to address the issue of sake lees by-products, it developed the "Taiwan Sake Lees Facial Mask," positioning it as a natural skincare product. This product gained significant popularity and was dubbed the "poor man's SK-II." In 2005, further innovative research and development led to the launch of "Yuqian Red Yeast Wine," which combines Eastern red yeast with Western wine, offering a wellness concept that caters to Taiwanese tastes. It quickly became the most popular wine brand in Taiwan. Linkou Distillery not only dedicates itself to the development of various alcoholic beverages but has also diversified its production methods. In 2007, it collaborated with a major cookie manufacturer to develop "Taiwan Red Yeast Health Cookies," which became an instant hit due to their unique flavor. Within just a year and a half, it generated over NT$1 billion in revenue, becoming a miracle in the cookie industry. To diversify its operations, in addition to producing alcoholic beverages, Linkou Distillery has set up a sales and exhibition center, featuring process exhibition halls such as the "Sake Hall," "Red Yeast Hall," and "Wine Bank." These facilities open their doors to the public and tourists, allowing visitors to learn about the history and process of brewing. This not only promotes the distillery's connection with other attractions in the industrial area (such as the Formosa Plastics Museum, Zhulin Temple, Formosa Plastics Medical Park, Hwa Ya Technology Park, etc.) and the nearby Yingge Township but also forms a local industrial culture and tourism theme. This enhances industrial tourism and enriches the overall tourism system in Taoyuan City. In alignment with corporate asset activation policies, Linkou Distillery integrates with Taoyuan's aviation city project and the operational launch of the airport MRT line. By combining its alcoholic production, industrial history, market location, and resources from industrial culture, creative arts, and humanities, it aims to create a factory park and build a sake-themed cultural park. This initiative connects neighboring districts, scenic spots, attractions, and public facilities, establishing Linkou Distillery as a landmark tourist distillery in northern Taiwan, with the goal of attracting the 8 million residents of northern Taiwan to visit for tourism and recreation, subsequently increasing revenue.
