During national commodity fairs, expert judge the quality and taste of hundreds of alcoholic beverages and give awards to those they judge to be outstanding. Below are some alcoholic beverages, which are well-known across the country.

Maotai

Maotai Liquor has long been regarded as the NO.1 liquor in China, and one of the most famous liquors in the world, along with the Scottish Whisky, French Brandy and Rusian Vodka. Maotai was first distilled in the town of Maotai near the Chishui River in Guizhou Province, but it is older than the town itself. Maotai has heavy fragrance and taste. At the Panama World Fair of 1915, it won a gold medal for its excellent quality and unique flavor. At present, the Maotai Distillery combine traditional methods with advanced scientific processes to ensure that Maotai continues to enjoy its worldwide fame and recommendation.

Luzhou Laojiao Tequ

Tequ is the most prestigious liquor produced in Luzhou area, Sichuan Province, followed by Touqu and Erqu. The three alcoholic beverages are all made with a kind of yeast called Daqu. Tequ is a home brewed liquor that has a long tradition. The distillery was set up in the Ming Dynasty and has now lasted over 400 years. At the edn of the Qing Dynasty, there were more than 300 households involved in the production of Tequ. Traditionally solid-state yeast and the special Longquan water are used in the process. The water tastes slightly sweet, but is also a bit acidic. The liquor is commonly stored in cellars for many years before being blended into Laojiao liquor. Laojiao Tequ has a heavy fragrance. It tastes mellow and is a bit sweet. After drinking, one feels refreshed; and can enjoy a long aftertaste. In 1915, this product won a gold medal at the Panama International Exposition. At present, Luzhou Laojiao Tequ stands side by side with Maotai as an outstanding liquor.

Wuliangye

This liquor is produced in Yibin, Sichuan Province. Wuliang means “five food grains.” The main five grains are good-quality rice, glutinous rice, sorghum, wheat and corn, but its original name was simply Grain Liquor. As early as in the Ming Dynasty, the Grain Liquor became famous in Sichuan; In 1915, it won a gold medal at the Panama International Exposition. In 1929, the name was replaced by Wuliangye. In 1988, the distillery received both the quality certificate for its products from the national government and the Quality Control Prize from the National Ministry of Commerce; and in 1991, the liquor was put on the list of Top Ten Chinese Liquors.

The liquor is a translucent beverage that has heavy fragrance. It tastes mellow, sweet and refreshing. Wuliangchun, Wuliangchun and fruit wines are other products produced by the same distillery.

Fenjiu

This liquor is also one of the most famous Chinese liquors, and it won a gold medal at the Panama International Exhibition in 1916. the high-quality of the liquor is due in great part to the natural water of wells located at the Apricot Blossom Village in Shanxi Province, particularly from a well known as the Thousand-Year-Well where the water tastes sweet and pure. The center Shanxi Plains abound in sorghum, moreover, which guarantees a good supply of the principal ingredient. Fenjiu looks clear and tastes soft and sweet. It may contain 38%, 48% or 53% alcohol, and it has light fragrance and taste.

Gulin Langjiu

This liquor is produced in Gulin County, Sichuan Province. It is unique in Sichuan in that it has the same heavy fragrance and taste of Maotai. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, a local distillery in Erlang Town, Gulin County, produced a liquor called Huisha Langjiu that gained considerable reputation in Sichuan and Guizhou. Erlang is only 70 km away from the birthplace of Maotai in Guizhou Province with the Chishui River flowing between the two areas. Due to its nearness to the Maotai distillery, Gulin uses the similar brewing techniques. The raw materials are top quality sorghum and wheat. In 1984, at the annual National Wine Appraisal Conference, Gulin Langjiu won a gold medal and was put on the list of the Top Ten Chinese Liquors. The distillery has developed a series of products to satisfy the needs of different consumers with alcoholic contents of 53%, 43%, 39%, 28%, and 25%.

Shaoxing Yellow Wine

This wine takes its name from its color. It is made in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province and is also called Shaoxing Rice Wine. As one of China’s eight traditional famous wines, it is made from high-quality glutinous rice and wheat, along with the pure water from the Jianhu Lake. It is noted not only for yellow color, but also for its mellow fragrance and good taste. It is said that its production in Shaoxing has a history of about 2,500 years. At present, Shaoxing wineries there produce 250,000 tons of the Yellow Wine per year; and their products include Jiafan Wine, Yuanhong Wine, Shanniang Wine, Huadiao and Xiangxue Wine as the leading producer and exporter of rice wine in China.

This article by Yang Tianqing and Daniel Kister.