Baijiu, The Punchy Chinese Spirit, Isn't Meant To Be Mixed - Here's Why - Tasting Table

"The best-selling liquor in the world is baijiu, a clear spirit distilled from sorghum, glutinous rice, or wheat that few people outside of China have likely ever heard of. There are four main types of baijiu, and it's estimated that 10 billion liters of the spirit are consumed in China every year. Needless to say, baijiu is very popular in the East Asian country - and like any other spirit, it comes with its own rituals and rules, one being that you don't mix it."

"A baijiu cocktails and mixed drinks break traditional baijiu rules. The established rituals of baijiu is centered around a group experience - think of any time you've seen a group of people all do a shot at once. That is how baijiu has long been enjoyed. The spirit is intended for slower, individual enjoyment, often over business dinners - but the shots don't stop until the bottle is done. It's a ritual of endurance."

"You're supposed to drink baijiu straight. For traditionalists, mixing it would be a breach of etiquette. But cocktail makers argue that tradition has kept many potential baijiu drinkers away. Those behind the trend - which has been growing for more than a decade since the world's first baijiu bar opened in 2014 - feel that younger drinkers and women especially prefer something to cut the taste of baijiu, and the interesting twists on traditional cocktails that doing so offers."

Baijiu is a clear distilled spirit made from sorghum, glutinous rice, or wheat and is the world's best-selling liquor, with about 10 billion liters consumed annually in China. Four main types of baijiu exist, and traditional consumption centers on communal rituals and endurance-style shots, though the spirit is also intended for slower, individual enjoyment at dinners. Traditionalists insist baijiu should be drunk straight, while cocktail makers and newer venues have introduced mixed drinks to dilute strong flavors and broaden appeal. Younger, more health-conscious consumers and many women often prefer cocktails that soften baijiu's perfume-like taste and offer variety.

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