Taichung Distillery Introduction
The origins of the Taichung Distillery can be traced back to the private "Taisho Sake Corporation Taichung Factory" during the Japanese colonial period. Established in 1916 in the South District of Taichung City, it primarily produced sake and rice wine, becoming the largest distillery in central Taiwan. After the implementation of the liquor monopoly system in the 11th year of the Taisho era, the factory was converted into "Taiwan Governor-General’s Office Monopoly Bureau Taichung Distillery" due to the requisition by the Governor-General of Taiwan. To meet the increasing demand for production, the scale of the facility was expanded. After World War II, the Taichung Distillery was taken over by the Nationalist government, and after several changes, it was officially renamed "Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Liquor Corporation Taichung Distillery" in 1957. Taichung Distillery is known for its research and development of yellow wine and high-concentration fermented rice wine. In response to the market's love for brewed alcohol in the 1950s, it actively developed a new product, "Hua Diao Wine," alongside its original yellow wine production line, which sparked a trend and won the "Gold Medal" at the World Tobacco and Alcohol Evaluation Association in 1988. Due to equipment updates, environmental requirements, and urban development planning, Taichung Distillery relocated to the Taichung Industrial Park in 1998. The new factory was constructed using an overall planning approach, integrating traditional brewing techniques with modern automated control technologies, and introduced standard operating procedures, making it the first modern distillery in Taiwan to pass GMP certification, showcasing a model of industrial upgrading. The "Old Taichung Distillery" area, featuring clear water brick walls, a traditional Japanese-style hall, and large-span wooden factories, was designated as a historic building by the Taichung City Government in 2002 and included in the Ministry of Culture's designated area for cultural assets in the same year. After relocation and re-planning, in addition to its main products of distilled rice wine and brewed yellow wine, Taichung Distillery also launched "Yongkang Wine" in 1999, provided by Mr. Chen Lifu, made from a formula of 22 kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs mixed with high-quality rice grains. This authentic Chinese health wine features a fragrant and elegant flavor, not only pleasant to drink but also beneficial for health, gaining favor among consumers. Following Taiwan's accession to the WTO and the abolition of the liquor monopoly system, Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Liquor Corporation was restructured into Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation, and Taichung Distillery began to adopt a consumer-oriented approach for diversified product development. In recent years, in addition to steadily producing its major rice wine, it has also been committed to developing a variety of new alcoholic products, including oligosaccharides, fruit vinegar, and red yeast rice, fully utilizing the factory space, increasing production capacity, and improving equipment utilization. Source: Taichung Distillery Official Website
