Langjiu Distillery is one of China’s top Baijiu producers. The brand is named after Er Lang Town in Sichuan Province’s Gulin County. Although Sichuan is famous for Baijiu made in the ‘strong’ aroma style Honghua Lang has been crafted in the intriguing ‘sauce’ aroma style. It was aged for a decade in the Tianbao Cave one of three caves that form the largest natural liquor-storage network in the world. The clay jars of spirit are lined up inside like terracotta warriors maturing slowly in this unique environment.
Filled into a stunning red and gold ceramic bottle Hongua Lang 10 Year Old Baijiu pulses with notes of soy sauce coffee cacao oyster mushroom roasted nuts and dried grapefruit peel. It’s a wonderfully smooth Baijiu and the combo of those umami flavours and a pleasant sourness in the finish make it immensely food friendly. Consider sipping it alongside Sichuan cuisine (especially mapo tofu) Korean dishes spicy dumplings fermented black bean sauces roasted vegetables lentil stews or something like a Bolognese made from chopped wild mushrooms and walnuts instead of meat.
Baijiu has been China’s national drink for more than five millennia and is the most-consumed hard liquor on the planet (18 billion litres are made each year). Although the West has been slow on the uptake that’s all about to change. Sales of this fascinating spirit are exploding around the world. And it’s worth noting that Baijiu is as important a part of Chinese heritage as silk tea ceramics martial arts and calligraphy all of which have become very popular on these shores.
The name translates as ‘clear spirit’ and Baijiu can be distilled from sorghum wheat rice sticky rice or corn. What makes it unique is two-fold. Firstly it’s an ingredient called ‘Qu’ – bricks of damp grains left in a warm place until they grow yeasts fungi and microorganisms – that is used to kickstart the fermentation a little like koji for Japanese Sake. This gives Baijiu a distinctive aromatic funk which reminds us a little of high-ester Jamaican rum. Secondly it’s the fact that Baijiu – unlike any other spirit we’re aware of – is created by distilling the solids not the liquid. Baijiu is then matured in ceramic jars; something that’s becoming increasingly fashionable in the world of wine also. These breathable containers allow micro-oxygenation of the spirit and remove impurities all without adding flavour.
Again like fine wine production methods vary and there are strong regional variations. So the Chinese generally classify Baijiu by its distinctive smell. The primary categories are ‘rice’ a sweet and floral style from the south; ‘light’ a delicate style from the north made with sorghum; ‘strong’ the most popular style crafted using at least two grains and mud pits for fermentation; and ‘savoury’ or ‘sauce’ an expensive and umami style thought to resemble soy sauce. Following a similar trajectory to other strong artisanal spirits like Mezcal Baijiu is traditionally sipped neat but it has recently captured the attention of cocktail aficionados and the world’s finest bartenders. Baijiu now looks set to cement its status as the greatest spirit on the planet by increasing its global reach.
SKU No.: 3836577
Style No.: 901996
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 53%
Volume: 500ml
Langjiu Distillery is one of China’s top Baijiu producers. The brand is named after Er Lang Town in Sichuan Province’s Gulin County. Although Sichuan is famous for Baijiu made in the ‘strong’ aroma style Honghua Lang has been crafted in the intriguing ‘sauce’ aroma style. It was aged for a decade in the Tianbao Cave one of three caves that form the largest natural liquor-storage network in the world. The clay jars of spirit are lined up inside like terracotta warriors maturing slowly in this unique environment.
Filled into a stunning red and gold ceramic bottle Hongua Lang 10 Year Old Baijiu pulses with notes of soy sauce coffee cacao oyster mushroom roasted nuts and dried grapefruit peel. It’s a wonderfully smooth Baijiu and the combo of those umami flavours and a pleasant sourness in the finish make it immensely food friendly. Consider sipping it alongside Sichuan cuisine (especially mapo tofu) Korean dishes spicy dumplings fermented black bean sauces roasted vegetables lentil stews or something like a Bolognese made from chopped wild mushrooms and walnuts instead of meat.
Baijiu has been China’s national drink for more than five millennia and is the most-consumed hard liquor on the planet (18 billion litres are made each year). Although the West has been slow on the uptake that’s all about to change. Sales of this fascinating spirit are exploding around the world. And it’s worth noting that Baijiu is as important a part of Chinese heritage as silk tea ceramics martial arts and calligraphy all of which have become very popular on these shores.
The name translates as ‘clear spirit’ and Baijiu can be distilled from sorghum wheat rice sticky rice or corn. What makes it unique is two-fold. Firstly it’s an ingredient called ‘Qu’ – bricks of damp grains left in a warm place until they grow yeasts fungi and microorganisms – that is used to kickstart the fermentation a little like koji for Japanese Sake. This gives Baijiu a distinctive aromatic funk which reminds us a little of high-ester Jamaican rum. Secondly it’s the fact that Baijiu – unlike any other spirit we’re aware of – is created by distilling the solids not the liquid. Baijiu is then matured in ceramic jars; something that’s becoming increasingly fashionable in the world of wine also. These breathable containers allow micro-oxygenation of the spirit and remove impurities all without adding flavour.
Again like fine wine production methods vary and there are strong regional variations. So the Chinese generally classify Baijiu by its distinctive smell. The primary categories are ‘rice’ a sweet and floral style from the south; ‘light’ a delicate style from the north made with sorghum; ‘strong’ the most popular style crafted using at least two grains and mud pits for fermentation; and ‘savoury’ or ‘sauce’ an expensive and umami style thought to resemble soy sauce. Following a similar trajectory to other strong artisanal spirits like Mezcal Baijiu is traditionally sipped neat but it has recently captured the attention of cocktail aficionados and the world’s finest bartenders. Baijiu now looks set to cement its status as the greatest spirit on the planet by increasing its global reach.
SKU No.: 3836577
Style No.: 901996