Chinese Baijiu is probably completely new to most of you; it was to me. It is a distilled spirit made from sorghum grain in China. I was invited to taste Baijiu from the Jiangji Distillery that is being distributed in BC by Cult Wine Canada. Let me provide you with more details about this distilled spirit before I get into my tasting notes.
What is Baijiu?
From Wikipedia, “…Baijiu is a clear liquid usually distilled from fermented sorghum, although other grains may be used; some southeastern Chinese styles may employ rice or glutinous rice…The qu starter culture used in the production of baijiu is usually made from pulverized wheat grain or steamed rice…
…The Chinese traditionally serve baijiu neat at room temperature, in small cups or glasses, though drinkware varies by region. It is traditional to drink baijiu with food rather than on its own, though it is often infused with fruit or medicinal herbs and spices…
…Modern bar culture has grown in popularity in China, so has a craving for a twist on the traditional baijiu. In 2007, a report in Time magazine mentioned integrating baijiu into cocktails, and in the years since several bars around the world have added baijiu to their cocktail programs…”
Before tasting baijiu we were led through a description of the process to make it and where it is made in China. The Baijiu we tasted was made by the Jiangji Distillery. It is located in Baisha Town, Chongqing City (southwest China) and the soil where the sorghum is grown is very rich in selenium. Sorghum is primarily used to produce this spirit as the plant is drought resistant and has a high waterlogging tolerance. This grain has a high starch content and a high alcohol yield. To ferment the baijiu an enzyme called qu converts the starch to sugar which then is used to make the alcohol. Qu is coarsely crushed grains that contain fungi, microorganisms and yeast.
The process to create the baijiu:
- harvesting the sorghum
- soaking the sorghum
- steaming the sorghum – to kill any unwanted bacteria
- cooling the sorghum – brings fresh air to the sorghum so it ferments properly
- adding the qu
- fermentation
- distillation – gentle heat with only the best quality part (like the hearts from scotch whisky)
- sorting and filtering – concentrates the aroma and purifies the flavour
- dilution for bottling – reduce to 40% alcohol
There are four different styles of baijiu: Light aroma, Source aroma, Strong aroma, and Rice aroma. Each brand of baijiu has its own unique taste and aroma. The Jiangji Distillery baijiu produces the Light Aroma style. Light Aroma features pure and clean aromas and flavours, which the speaker noted is an elegant style.
We were told that younger drinkers enjoy cocktails more than straight distilled, so the distillery offers mixed White Grape and Peach baijiu, which I describe below. The base baijiu can be used to make cocktails but I have not investigated cocktail recipes online. Maybe some cocktail lounges in Vancouver will try making new mixed drinks from baijiu?
Green Plum Wine
The plum wine from our tasting comes from Jiangji Distillery but under a different brand name, MeiJian. MeiJian is located in Puning City, Guangdong province which has a sub-tropical climate. It is a mountainous area with deep, well-drained soils. The green plums for their “wine” are hand-harvested, have a minimum size requirement of 32mm diameter and must reach at least 90% maturity. These plums have thick and juicy flesh, high acidity, and no astringency.
This is not a wine as we think of European-style wines. The plums are harvested, sorted and cleaned, then cured for three months with sugar to make plum juice, then blended with baijiu for two years, and finally placed in clay jars for one year before being filtered and bottled giving the wine three years of ageing in total. The resulting wine should have a balance between the baijiu and the candied green plum juice giving you harmony between sweet and tangy sensations.
My Tasting Notes
Jiangji Distillery Jiangxiaobai PURE S50 Baijiu (50 ml), 40% alcohol – It has a watery bright lemon colour. Lighter aromas of green apple. It is dry with a medium body. Light citrus, pepperiness, woodiness, almonds and honey flavours. Medium-plus length.
Jiangji Distillery White Grape Baijiu (168 ml), (BC $11.08) 15% alcohol – the above PURE baijiu is used for the base of the grape and peach baijiu. At least 30% of white grape juice is blended with the baijiu. It has a pale bright lemon-green colour. Sweet green grape aroma. Light body, soft with lower acidity and pronounced grape flavour. An off-dry finish.
Jiangji Distillery Peach Baijiu (168 ml), (BC $12.28) 23% alcohol – at least 35% peach juice is blended with the baijiu for this sip. It has a watery lemon colour. Quite a pronounced peach aroma. Off-dry, medium body, round with a smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Medium acidity along with some pepperiness. Pronounced peach and flowery flavours.
Jiangji Distillery MeiJian Original Green Plum Wine (BC $44.88) 12% alcohol – It has a medium-intensity clear orange-tawny colour. A light sweet fruit nose. Dry, lighter bodied, medium sweetness and a lean mouthfeel. A taste of plum and grain (sorghum?).
Thank you to Cult Wine Canada for inviting me to this tasting. It was very interesting.
Where Can I Buy These Baijiu and Green Plum Wine?
The Baijiu and MeiJian Green Plum wine are available at Legacy Liquor stores.
