Chinese increase imports of new status symbol Scotch whisky / LJWorld.com
Chinese increase imports of new status symbol Scotch whisky
Tom Hundley - Chicago Tribune
Edinburgh, Scotland  Already possessed of all the tea in China, the Chinese are making a serious run at all the whiskey in Scotland, and they do not seem averse to mixing the two.
Chinese imports of Scotch whisky have zoomed from $2.9 million in 2001 to more than $90 million in 2005.
Last year the value of whiskey imports grew 84 percent. This year, China is expected to crack the top 10 of whiskey-guzzling nations, according to David Williamson, public affairs manager for the Scotch Whisky Association in Edinburgh.
In China, Scotch whisky and French cognac have long been the preferred beverages of ascendant businessmen and senior government officials who subsist on a constant rotation of banquets and ribbon-cuttings.
But a more recent phenomenon - one that has Scottish distillers flocking to China - is the emergence of Scotch whisky as a status symbol among the country's growing middle class, a group equivalent to the population of the entire United States.
Scotch whisky began making inroads after China embarked on reforms in 1979. In 2000, China's accession to the World Trade Organization resulted in the gradual reduction of import tariffs from 65 percent to 10 percent, Williamson said.
Martin Riley, international marketing director for London-based Chivas Brothers, points out that there are historical precedents to the Chinese experience.
America remains the most lucrative export market for Scotch whisky, but China has become an object of desire for Scottish distillers not only because of its size but because Chinese whiskey drinkers tend to be in their late 20s and early 30s - a more desirable target market than British or American drinkers who generally are older.
Scotch the Chinese way
In recent years the Chinese have developed a drinking culture of their own. Most imbibing is done outside the home, usually in a restaurant, bar or nightclub. A group of drinkers will normally buy a bottle to share.
Tastings: How the Chinese combine Scotch whisky and tea