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This is a medicinal flavored baijiu, apparently based on a fen jiu (shanxi province specialty?), with bamboo flavoring and other Chinese medicines. It’s very much like a bamboo liqueur, which sounds weird, and is weird. It’s candy-sweet with a heavy medicinal front end. Bonus: the liquid is yellow-green in color, too. It’s a big departure […]
Red Star is the world’s go-to low-end baijiu, and it’s an acquired taste if ever there was one. It’s the Budweiser of baijiu – cheap, everywhere, but incredibly reliable its quality. It’s a known quantity, and you’ll see it all over the world. In the US where we focus, you’ll still see it pretty much […]
Kweichow Moutai is the king of the baijiu world, and you’ll see that right away in the price. There are very high-end bottles, and it’s the brand of choice for gifting… and maybe also grifting. Prince is a mid-level offering, and it’s a really fun version of the Sauce Aroma category with a great bold […]
This is a lower-end Luzhou Laojiao and it is still, in my opinion, great. It’s got the same well-balanced flavor profile that the pricier options from this baijiu-maker have. But the alchohol burn is more prominent, and the finish is pretty raw. Probably not the Luzhou to start with, unless your only comparison is Red […]
This is a really delicious baijiu, with a strong flavor profile and lots of balance. It’s sweet without being saccharine, horsey without excessive barnyard tang. There’s a burst of big flavor on your tongue, and the alcohol burn happens at the end – and even that is relatively muted. Luzhou Laojiao is one of the […]
Kinmen Kaoliang is a widely available Kaoliang baijiu – it’s sweet, light aroma, and relatively balanced. The 58 is a proof designation, so it’s seriously boozy. It’s also available in a 38° version. It’s a famous brand of baijiu, and a good starter for beginners! I found this bottle in St. Louis at Olive Supermarket, […]
Kinmen Taishun is a Kao Liang baijiu from Taiwan. This little bottle was a gift from friends overseas, but you can find the 58, 38, and other varieties in liquor stores in the US. Kinmen is a big brand, and recently gave away a man’s weight in baijiu at a marathon. My wife smelled it […]
Gu Jing – the name means ‘Ancient Well’ – is a 100-proof baijiu. For something so high-octane, it’s relatively mild; sweet on the front end, and goes down smoothly. There’s the usual bit of equine barnyard tang at the end, but it is partially subsumed by the almost burnt-bubblegum flavor. The distillery draws its name […]