China’s Eight Famous Liquors”

1. Moutai

Moutai is China’s “national liquor”. It is not only hard to find a bottle domestically, but also internationally. It is famous. Moutai won the Gold Medal at the Panama International Exposition in 1915. Together with Scotch whiskey and French Cognac, it is known as one of the "three most famous distilled spirits in the world", and it also ranks first in the list of the top 50 most valuable spirits brands in the world. , the brand value in 2019 is about US$30.47 billion.

Moutai liquor is originated in Maotai Town, Guizhou Province. It has a history of more than 800 years. It uses sorghum as raw material and is the originator of Daqu Maotai-flavor liquor. , Moutai liquor craftsmanship was determined to be a national secret and was later included in the national tangible and intangible cultural heritage lists.

No matter how it is ranked, Moutai liquor is the well-deserved top of the list of Chinese liquors. Not only because of its long history and top quality, but also because of the important role played by Moutai in China's modern politics, economy, and foreign affairs.

2. Wuliangye

Wuliangye is Daqu Baijiu is produced in Yibin City, Sichuan Province. It is brewed by fermenting five kinds of grains: wheat, rice, corn, sorghum and glutinous rice. Wuliangye is a specialty of Yibin City, Sichuan Province. In 2012, it became a national geographical indication product of China.

The current Wuliangye wine is mainly made by aging and blending. The raw Wuliangye wine made from grains is graded according to quality and stored as base wines. After the storage period, the blending personnel conduct sensory evaluation and physical and chemical analysis one by one to determine the quality of different products. After blending and combining according to the style requirements, the finished product is Wuliangye

3. Jiannanchun

Jiannanchun is produced in Mianzhu County, Sichuan Province. Mianzhu is known as the "wine town". It was one of the jurisdictions of Jiannan Road in the Tang Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, the word "spring" was often used to praise fine wine. Therefore, this wine was named "Jiannan Shaochun". It is the royal wine of the Tang Dynasty recorded in official history. It is said that Li Bai drank Jiannanchun here. The coats were sold to buy wine and drank heavily, leaving behind the legends of "Shi Jie Jin Mink" and "Jie Nanchun Redeem Wine". Jiannanchun is made of five kinds of grains: high grain, rice, glutinous rice, corn and wheat, and is a strong-flavor type.

4. Luzhou Laojiao Special Qu

"Luzhou Laojiao" is the general name for single-grain, strong-flavor Daqu liquor produced in Luzhou, Sichuan. Luzhou Laojiao Co., Ltd. also owns A series of sub-brands such as Guojiao 1573, Luzhou Laojiao Tequ, Touqu and Erqu.

Luzhou was known as Jiangyang in ancient times and has a long history of brewing. Since ancient times, it has been known as "Jiangyang Ancient Road with many fine wines". Unearthed cultural relics in Luzhou show that Luzhou's winemaking history can be traced back to the Qin and Han Dynasties. Luzhou Laojiao Tequ is a typical representative of the strong-flavor Daqu wine, which has the characteristics of "strong aroma, mellow taste, sweet taste and long aftertaste".

5. Fenjiu

Fenjiu is a representative of light-flavor liquor, originating from Xinghua Village, Fenyang City, Shanxi Province.

Du Mu's poem in the Tang Dynasty said: During the Qingming Festival, it rains heavily and pedestrians are on the road. I want to die. May I ask where the restaurant is? The shepherd boy pointed to Xinghua Village. This is Fenjiu. In fact, Fenjiu became famous as early as 1,500 years ago during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. At that time, Fenjiu was very popular with Emperor Wucheng of the Northern Qi Dynasty as the imperial wine. It is recorded in the "Book of Northern Qi" that the emperor was in Jinyang and issued an edict in his hand saying, "I drink two cups of Fenqing." , I urge you to drink two glasses in Ye" is the earliest liquor known as the "national wine".

At the 1915 Panama International Exposition, "Lao Baifen" also won the first-class gold medal. The current producer of Fenjiu is Shanxi Xinghuacun Fenjiu Group Co., Ltd., which is authorized by the Shanxi Provincial Government.

6. Xifeng Wine

The history of Xifeng Wine is even older. It was produced in Liulin Town, Fengxiang County, Baoji City, the "hometown of Fengjiu". In ancient times, it was also called Qin Wine or Liulin. liquor. Xifeng wine originated in the Yin Shang Dynasty and flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties. It has a history of more than 3,000 years.

Fengxiang, known as Yongzhou in ancient times, is one of the areas where the ancestors of the Chinese nation settled, and it was also the place where agriculture emerged in ancient times. In ancient times, Fengxiang was the hometown of the legendary phoenix. There are stories such as the phoenix singing in Qishan and the flute playing to attract the phoenix. After the Tang Dynasty, it was also the location of Xifu Terrace, known as Xifu Fengxiang, and Xifeng wine got its name from this.

Xifeng wine is made from local specialty sorghum and barley and peas.

The technological characteristics are obviously different from those of light-flavor, strong-flavor, sauce-flavor and other liquors. It also has the characteristics of light and strong aroma, making it a unique category of its own, so it is separately defined as "Feng-flavor type".

7. Dongjiu

Dongjiu is another nationally famous wine in Guizhou besides Moutai. It is produced in Donggongsi Town, Zunyi, and its brewing history can be traced back to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. The unique formula process is listed as a national secret by the country. Dong Liquor is the originator of the aroma craft. It has both the rich aroma of Daqu Liquor and the soft and sweet aftertaste of Xiaoqu Liquor. Because of its unique aroma, it is separately classified as "Dong-flavored" liquor.

8. Gujing Gongjiu

Gujing Gongjiu is a Daqu strong-flavor liquor that is a specialty of Bozhou City, Anhui Province. It is known as the "peony in wine".

According to "Bozhou Chronicles": the ancient well used for brewing water is a relic of the fourth year of Datong (532 AD) in the Liang Dynasty of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (this well is located in the current Gujinggong Winery). The local area has a lot of salt and alkali, and the water tastes bitter, but the water from this well is clear and sweet, which is perfect for making wine. Bozhou is the hometown of Cao Cao, because Cao Cao once donated the "Jiu Ying Chun Wine" produced in his hometown and its brewing method to Liu Xie, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty. Since then, the wine has been used as a royal tribute, hence the name "tribute wine". After more than a thousand years, "Jiu Ying Chun Liquor" continued to develop and gradually evolved into today's "Gujing Gong Liquor".