Riachi winery and distillery profile: A nation’s legacy, distilled in whisky

After mellowing the whisky with a few drops of cold water which enhances the aroma, I took a sip and held it in my mouth for five seconds. I inhaled through my mouth and exhaled through my nose after swallowing the whisky. The increased aroma perception was nothing short of intoxicating as I tasted Athyr Oak and Vine single malt whisky, the very woody and fruity flavor denoting oak, black tea, carob molasses, fig jam, honey, incense and the years of craftsmanship that went behind it. It is aged six years in Lebanese oak, and three years in an ex-cabernet sauvignon wine barrel giving it the fruity character. 

“Whisky gave us our edge more than any other product since we were the first proper grain to glass whisky in Lebanon. September the 26^th 2019 was the launch date of our first whisky one month prior to “Al Thawra”, the revolution, and the economic crisis. Our first release “Athyr” evaporated in six weeks. It was a new whisky with a nice flavor profile”, says Riachi Winery and Distillery owner Roy Riachi.

Awards and accolades

In 2020, and for the first time in history, a Lebanese whisky received a high score in an international competition. Riachi’s first entry into a competition, International Drinks Specialist Malt and Wheat, scored 88 out of 100. They attracted media attention and were published in Whisky Advocate magazine in Fall 2023. Four of their Whiskies were featured in the buying guide, which earned a spotlight on the Riachi distillery. They had only been in the American market a year. At the end of 2024, they were featured in World’s Best Whiskeys magazine. Levant Heights Dark Malt was voted Best Bank for your Buck. Furthermore, they were hosted in multiple podcasts. In October 2024, Whisky Opus, a whisky book highlighting a collection of the greatest whisky distilleries around the world featured him. This year he appeared on the US podcast Hood Sommelier. 

Athyr had an impact on the history of whisky through its uniquely Lebanese historical significance. The Amphora, a historical vessel used in Lebanon to age spirits, which is more contextualized to the region, is the vessel of choice for Athyr, with inserts of pruned oak branches. “The History of Whisky in 100 Whiskies” is a book by author Robin Robinson released in 2025 with a feature on Riachi, Athyr being listed as whisky number 100. “It is an honor to be in a list distinguishing 100 whiskeys out of 1,000 distilleries in the world”. Another honor was being voted the number 1 fan favorite craft whisky distillery on the Whisky Lore platforms.

Photo: The Amphora, a historical vessel used in Lebanon to age spirits.

Riachi’s early days and evolution

Initially, the winery and distillery got its start with Arak and “Nbid Baladi”, wine specific to the country. Moussa Riachi is the head of the eight-generation family that launched the business.

Whisky has been available in Lebanon since the early 1900s. Blended Scotch Whisky is consumed the most to this day. It was imported from Scotland, Glenfiddich being one of the oldest craft whiskies, and it wasn’t till the 90s that craft whisky was introduced to the market. A decent market for malt whisky and craft whisky came to fruition between 2005 and 2010, reaching its peak in 2019 and declining since then due to the economic depression in the country. 

His first release was 150 bottles, and since he saw the appetite for his product, he prepped for 600 more. His third, more premium release in 2020, had a cedar wood finish and took him a year, which is the norm for a release nowadays. However, the financial collapse affected severely his business. During the pandemic, the demand for spirits crashed as opposed to the states where it thrived.

Levant was released in 2020. However, the recession was a hindrance to his product sales. “The problem we faced was with the collection of payment which took too long and was in the Lebanese currency which was losing value by the day,” Riachi stated. He is reluctant to penetrate the market further nowadays seeing as the terms of agreement with such supermarkets are unreasonable. 

Riachi has a moderate presence in Lebanon, with a few small boutiques carrying their products. Their focus is on exports, making up ninety percent of their sales. The US has the largest growth potential, being the largest whisky market in the world, and Riachi is present in 15 states. South Korea, Italy, Norway, Jordan, and Cyprus are other markets carrying their products.

Despite being a winemaker, Roy prefers whisky. Moreover, the competition is less steep in whisky; they’re 1 out of 1,000 distilleries in the world, as opposed to 1 out of 100,000 globally. “Barriers to entry are higher in whisky, from know-how to processing and aging, all time-consuming. I am competing with international brands by making craft whiskies reflecting the Lebanese terroir such as Athyr, with a 100% Lebanese taste, and Levant Heights, which are very intense whiskies.”

Photo: Tasting room in Riachi Winery and Distillery.

Charting the next chapter

The ambition of Riachi Winery & Distillery is much like that of any aspiring Lebanese entrepreneur, to make a name for himself in international markets. “Selling 0.06% market share in the US is equivalent to 20 forty-foot containers of whisky. We’re not there yet. We’re after the crumbs in big markets which amount to much for a small distillery. We’re a boutique of craft whisky, artisanal compared with the international scale. There’s no market share per se abroad. Big craft whisky distilleries in the US don’t stand much of a chance either to secure a big market share,” says Roy. Market share is for mass produced products. Even Macallan’s market share is insignificant stacked against mainstream brands, despite being well-established with bottles selling for thousands of dollars.

Through their workshops, Riachi Winery and Distillery are appealing to whisky aficionados living in Lebanon and abroad. Crafted in Lebanon, Roy Riachi’s passion project is building a whisky appreciation culture.