Chengdu has long been synonymous with pandas and hotpot. Together, they revealed how craftsmanship runs through this part of Sichuan, from what people eat and drink to the traditions they are working to preserve. INSIDE PERNOD RICARD’S FIRST MALT WHISKY DISTILLERY IN CHINAA two-hour drive from Chengdu, where the city’s sprawl gives way to green foothills, The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery sits at the foot of Mount Emei, one of China's four sacred Buddhist mountains. Established by Pernod Ricard, it is the first fully operational malt whisky distillery in China established by an international spirits and wine group. Designed by Shanghai-based architecture and design practice Neri&Hu, the distillery sits beside a meandering creek and terraced fields beneath Mount Emei.