Yilan Tourism

Long ago Yilan was also known as Chiachilan, Gemalan, and Kapalan, so when the Yilan Distillery opened to tourists in 1998, its Wine Museum was called Chiachilan. Created in 1909, the distillery is the oldest in Taiwan, with its focus mostly on red rice wine.


Red rice wine has won silver awards in a worldwide competition. It’s a very nutritious type of alcohol made mainly of red yeast rice. In the museum, visitors can buy red rice sausages, red rice cake, red yeast rice vinegar, red yeast rice sauce, red rice wine black dates, red rice wine longan cake ice bar and other red yeast rice products unique to Yilan.  


The Wine Museum resides in a reconstructed warehouse; its striped walls rich with history. There’s also a waterfall made from old wine urns stacked to form a wall. Not only can you smell the fragrance of wines, savor delicious food, walk through the Wine Museum, Red Yeast Rice Museum, Wine Bank and Red Rice Wine Gallery, but visitors who preregister can also take a special tour of the wine cellar and wine-making facilities, to learn about the whole manufacturing process. 

After touring the Yilan Distillery, check out the nearby Memorial Hall of the Founding of Yilan Administration and the Literary Museum for a full day of cultural fun.