At Rượu Làng, we believe it is time for Vietnamese rượu to take its rightful place among the world’s great spirits.
From our charming farm house at The Village Château Distillery in Tam Đảo, Vĩnh Phúc, we carry a simple but powerful dream: to introduce the Art of Rượu – a product of Vietnamese people and nature – to the world. Crafted from the finest local rice, every bottle reflects both centuries of tradition and a bold vision for the future.
Our name, “Làng” (meaning village in Vietnamese), pays tribute to the communities that have nurtured this craft for generations. Even our bottle design, etched with a delicate sketch of rice, honors the golden grain at the heart of Vietnamese life.
OUR MISSION
Honor Heritage & Community
We preserve the age-old art of rượu making, celebrating the wisdom of village distillers and working hand in hand with farmers and artisans to sustain rural livelihoods.
Elevate with Quality & Sustainability
By blending traditional techniques with modern, eco-conscious practices, we craft authentic, consistent, world-class spirits while caring for the land that nurtures our rice.
Elevate with Quality & Sustainability
Just as phở and bánh mì have become global culinary icons, we aspire for rượu to shine on the world stage as a true symbol of Vietnamese culture and identity.
We are dedicated to crafting the finest Rượu, taking meticulous care with every ingredient and every step of the process. Our goal is perfection. By producing small batches, we ensure consistent, high-quality Rượu with a depth of flavor and a well-balanced nutritional profile.
RICE
Organic terraced rice nurtured by the purest spring water from the northeast mountains in Bac Kan, Vietnam.
After sourcing and testing various types of rice, we chose Nep Tai glutinous rice as our hero grain for all our Rượu. This organic terraced rice is Japanese Organic Certified (JAS Organic).
Nep Tai is a traditional rice variety of the Dao ethnic people, planted only once a year. It thrives in the beautiful mountainous terraces, benefiting from clean air and pristine spring water.
The rice is carefully handpicked — only the finest grains — and carried home in rattan baskets every November. It’s then sun-dried for just one golden afternoon under the autumn sky, and hung beneath the roof all year long to preserve its natural aroma. Each month, it’s brought fresh to our distillery to ensure the purest flavor in Rượu making.
Sun-dried
Hanging beneath the roof
Carefully handpicked
The rice is carefully handpicked — only the finest grains — and carried home in rattan baskets every November. It’s then sun-dried for just one golden afternoon under the autumn sky, and hung beneath the roof all year long to preserve its natural aroma. Each month, it’s brought fresh to our distillery to ensure the purest flavor in Rượu making.
Hanging beneath the roof
Sun-dried
Carefully handpicked
WATER
FERMENTATION
In Vietnam, water quality often doesn’t meet international standards. To address this, we use an RO (Reverse Osmosis) filtration system to ensure our water meets bottled pure water standards. This purified water is used to wash the rice, cook the ingredients, and during the distillation process, guaranteeing the highest quality for our Rượu.
We use pure yeast to preserve the natural flavor of the rice in our Rượu. The rice undergoes a slow, 15-day fermentation process, meticulously controlled for optimal temperature at each stage. This careful process creates a mellow, delicate taste and the characteristic aroma of the rice.
DISTILLATION
Rượu Làng is distilled using a six-plate distiller. Throughout the distillation, we precisely adjust the reflux ratio to effectively separate the head and tail alcohol from the finished product. This careful approach ensures that the resulting Rượu boasts exceptional purity and quality.
THE AGING PROCESS
After distillation, Rượu is oxidized and aged for at least 6 months in the traditional ceramic pots to achieve a softer, smoother texture before being bottled.
Red Dragron Fruit & Lychee
FORTIFIED WINE PROCESS
At Rượu Làng, we take inspiration from the time-honored techniques of Western fortified wines—but we give them a distinctly Vietnamese heart. Instead of grapes, we celebrate our land’s treasures: the vibrant red dragon fruit and the delicate lychee, fruits that carry the taste of tropical sun and fertile soil. And rather than brandy, we fortify with our own handcrafted rice liquor, keeping rice—the golden seed of Vietnam—at the soul of every bottle.
The result is a marriage of tradition and innovation: bold, colorful, and unmistakably Vietnamese.
01
Harvest & Selection
We begin with Vietnam’s finest red dragon fruit and lychee, hand-picked at peak ripeness to capture their natural sweetness, color, and fragrance.
02
Saccharification
To ensure the fruit has the perfect sugar profile for fermentation, we carry out a saccharification process. Natural starches and complex sugars are gently broken down into fermentable sugars, unlocking balance and depth for the next stage.
03
Fermentation
The prepared fruit is then fermented. Yeast transforms the sugars into alcohol, while preserving the vivid tropical notes of dragon fruit and the delicate perfume of lychee.
04
Fortification with Rice Spirit
Unlike Western fortified wines that use grape brandy, we fortify with our own handcrafted rice liquor. This infusion halts fermentation at just the right time—capturing natural fruit sweetness while raising strength and character.
05
Maturation
The blend rests to harmonize:
- Rice spirit forms the warm backbone.
- Dragon fruit contributes exotic brightness and beautiful pink color.
- Lychee layers in elegance and floral sweetness.
Together, they mature into a fortified-style liquor that is both vibrant and balanced.
06
Bottling the Heritage
Each bottle carries the essence of Vietnam: the ingenuity of local fruits, the strength of rice, and the artistry of our people—heritage reborn in modern form.
FOUNDER STORY
To Live – To Love – To Learn – To Leave A Legacy
Tech Exec turned Distiller | INSEAD GEMBA'23 | ex-Google | ex-Facebook
I grew up in a tranquil Vietnamese village, surrounded by rice fields, buffaloes, and kites. Despite a successful tech career with giants like Facebook and Google far away from home, my heart longed for the connection with my roots. This longing led to The Village Château Distillery near Tam Dao, in a beautiful farmhouse where we blend Vietnamese tradition with French elegance. We craft exceptional liquors from the finest Vietnamese rice, capturing the essence of the serene village. The Village Château Distillery supports our community and invites you to savor the essence of our heritage. Join us and experience the serene charm of Vietnamese village in every bottle made with lots of love and passion.
