It’s the world’s most heavily consumed spirit and has a history that dates back over 5,000 years – yet many Western drinkers haven’t even heard of baijiu. Despite there being 6,000 distilleries in China making 8 billion litres of baijiu in a year, very little of that liquid gets exported. That’s a real shame, since China’s national drink is known for its fragrant and complex aromas and layers. The good news, though, is that exports are on the rise – there’s never been a better time to get acquainted with what the best examples of baijiu can offer drink lovers.
Baijiu (meaning ‘white liquor’) is made by hand and by cooking a variety of grains (including wheat, corn and rice) before blending with a starter culture known as qu. This mixture is then left to ferment in water – and this process can take anywhere between five and 50 years. The resulting flavours can be floral and fruity, and baijiu is often consumed, like wine, with a meal – although it can also be enjoyed as a shot.
However, various fermentation and maturation methods can mean that baijiu styles vary wildly. There are three main varieties to consider, covering a real breadth of flavour: light aroma, strong aroma and sauce aroma. Really, this is just scratching the surface, and there’s plenty more to learn about how baijiu tastes – but if you’re ready to get started, there were some great examples of the spirit on show at this year’s IWSC.
Scoring 98 points was Hanwuyu Liquan Dashijiancang Baijiu from Gansu Jiuquan Hanwu Baijiu Industry, that was praised by the IWSC judges for its aromas of ‘poached pear in syrup, sweet herbs with a layered, rich, and complex palate of dried fruits’. Also scoring a Gold medal was Guangdong Hutu Spirit Industry Co., Hutulaojiangxiang Jiu Yixing Baijiu, with its generous seaweed mineral character and palate full of flavourful spices and herbs. For those keen to explore light-aroma baijiu, there was the Gold medal winning Kweichow Laishiqingyou Liquor Industry Group Co’s Qing You Ren Yin Year Commemorative Money Baijiu which judges highlighted for its ‘subtle aromas of rich dried fruits and orchard fruit, and umami savouriness seamlessly integrated beautifully onto the palate.’
Each of the below were judged by an expert industry panel, and each of these bottles and their tasting notes helps paint the broader picture of a drink offering plenty of complexity and nuance. Read on for the 17 best baijiu bottles from the IWSC 2024.
HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE SPIRITS?
We run a tightly structured, rigorous spirits tasting process. That means that each spirit sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC spirit judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the drinks industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.
HOW DO WE SCORE THESE SPIRITS?
Only the best spirits sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, spirits have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.
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