YANGHE Baijiu
Chinese Spirit.
Baijiu is also known as shaojiu and is an array of a dozen or so Chinese spirits made from grain. Baijiu literally means “white (clear) alcohol”. This spirit is usually distilled from fermented sorghum, although other grains may be used.
Because of its clarity baijiu can be confused, by those who are unfamiliar with its very specific qualities, with several other Asian spirits. It has a significantly higher alcohol content than the better-known Japanese shōchū or Korean soju. It has one advantage over these other drinks in that it has a more striking mouthfeel and would likely be enjoyed by whisky aficionados. It should be noted that it is the most widely consumed spirit, with more than 12 billion litres sold in a single year.
The Chinese traditionally serve Baijiu neat and at room temperature. It is served in small cups or glasses and often consumed with food; it’s sometimes infused with fruit or medicinal herbs. In the West there is no Baijiu drinking tradition, but it is becoming a trending spirit in classy city bars around the world. Customers are intrigued. There is even a World Baijiu Day now!
YANGHE is one of the largest producers of baijiu, and it now also produces newer spirits which include a raspberry brandy, and a new whisky to be launched. The Yanghe Distillery has its headquarters in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, eastern China, the celebrated heart of Chinese baijiu production (approx. 300km north of Shanghai.)
Baijiu & Yanghe – Baijiu as an alcohol category is mostly known for its strong, intense flavour, but Yanghe has pioneered an exceptional mellow, softer, smoother style, with characteristic full-bodied and fragrant nuances. It targets the ultra-premium to mid-range market and differentiates itself by both mellow taste and heritage.
Distillery – The distillery has over 1300 years of history, dating back to the Tang and Sui dynasties (around 580 AD). Its underground wine cellars and ancient fermentation workshops are officially recognized as national heritage landmarks. Covering about 10 sq km, Yanghe’s production and factory areas comprise 70,000 cellar pools, making it the largest baijiu cellar cluster in the world. The traditional brewing workshop houses 2,020 ancient cellars, with the oldest 89 cellars dating back to the Hongwu era, over 600 years.
Water – Notably, its water source is located at the meeting point of the Huaihe River, Yellow River, the Grand Canal, the Hongze Lake and the Luoma Wetlands, which has a naturally sweet quality and is rich in microflora. This places it alongside France’s Cognac and Scotland’s whisky regions as one of the world’s three great wetland spirit-producing areas.
Production – Yanghe baijiu is made from traditional grains sourced in China. The mash bill features sorghum (a type of great millet grain) as the primary fermentable, with supplemental grains (wheat, barley and peas) used to make the fermentation starter (fiqu). All ingredients are locally procured from high-quality sources in China’s grain belt, ensuring authenticity of terroir. No foreign grains are needed for baijiu; the formulas have been perfected locally over centuries.
Yanghe has a massive production capacity. In 2023, its baijiu distilleries produced some 155,000 tons of baijiu (roughly equivalent to 300+ million 0.5L bottles annually) making it one of the world’s largest spirits producers.
How to drink:
Neat, chilled, in cocktails, and in more unexpected, familiar western serves, e.g.:
Yanghe + gin & tonic
Yanghe + latte coffee
