Lian Zhou Gong Jiu has been in business since 1944 in Hebei, and they are just starting to export to the west. In fact, the exporter kindly sent us a sample to review, but they didn’t yet have final bottle design samples – thus the mockup versions shown here. The ‘Dade’ product (can this be translated as ‘Big Virtue’ – 大德?) is a milder entry in the ‘strong’ category – and it is a real winner.
The sorghum is sweet and clear here, but the balance of five other grain types adds a nice depth. It’s bottled at a mild 38%, so there’s a lot of room for more subtle flavors here. There’s a faint barnyard tang to the finish, but it’s very mild and retains a pretty soft mouthfeel.
This isn’t available in US retail locations yet – but should be in early 2019. Keep an eye out for it, and definitely try this if you can get your hands on it!
As a chaser, here’s a shot of a gate at the distillery:
Lian Zhou Gong Jiu "Dade"
