Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation Linkou Distillery Introduction
Linkou Distillery is a new distillery formed by the merger of the Taipei Distillery (established in 1921), Banqiao Distillery (established in 1937), and Shulin Distillery (established in 1906), with operations officially commencing in the spring of 1987. Each of the original distilleries had distinct products and cultural characteristics, and after their merger, it developed into the largest and most modern rice liquor production factory in Northern Taiwan. Since its establishment, Linkou Distillery has primarily focused on producing Shaoxing wine. In 1996, it utilized its original Shaoxing wine production equipment to brew Japanese sake, successfully launching "Yuq泉 Sake," making it the only distillery in the country to produce Japanese sake. In 2004, to address the by-product issue of sake lees, it developed the "Taiwan Sake Lees Face Mask" product, positioned as a natural skincare material, which was highly popular and dubbed the "poor man's SK-II." In 2005, it innovated again, combining Eastern red yeast rice with Western wine to launch "Yuq泉 Red Yeast Rice Wine," which embodies health concepts and caters to Taiwanese tastes, becoming the most popular wine brand in Taiwan. Linkou Distillery not only dedicates itself to the research and development of various alcoholic beverages but has also diversified its production methods. In 2007, it collaborated with a large cookie manufacturer to develop "Taiwan Red Yeast Rice Health Crackers," which had a unique flavor and sparked a buying frenzy, achieving over NT$1 billion in revenue in just one and a half years, becoming a miracle in the cookie industry. To pursue diversified operations, in addition to alcohol production, it has set up a sales exhibition center, which includes exhibition halls such as the "Sake Hall," "Red Yeast Rice Hall," and "Wine Bank," open to the public and tourists. This allows visitors to understand the processes and history of winemaking while promoting connections with other attractions in the industrial area (such as the Formosa Plastics Museum, Zhulin Temple, Formosa Plastics Medical Park, and Hwa Ya Technology Park) and the nearby Yingge Township industry, forming a cultural tourism theme of local industrial heritage that enhances tourism in Taoyuan County. Linkou Distillery aligns with the company's asset activation policy, combining with Taoyuan County to promote the Aerotropolis project and the launch of the airport MRT line. It integrates liquor production, industrial history, and market advantages, along with industry culture, creative arts, and human resources to shape a factory park, creating a sake-themed cultural park that connects surrounding neighborhoods, landmarks, and public facilities, aiming to establish itself as a landmark tourism distillery in Northern Taiwan, potentially attracting 8 million people from Northern Taiwan to visit for leisure, thereby increasing revenue.
