The journey to Ming River baijiu begins in the heart of Sichuan at China’s oldest operating distillery, Luzhou Laojiao. Each batch of baijiu is fermented in earthen pits with locally harvested yeast cultures for two months before it is distilled in a traditional Chinese pot still. The spirit then ages for up to two years before our master blender balances the baijiu to achieve Ming River’s exceptional flavor.
Baijiu pronounced bye-j’yo, meaning “white spirits” in Mandarin—is a category that encompasses all traditional Chinese grain spirits. Baijiu is most commonly distilled from sorghum, but is also often made from rice, wheat, corn and millet. Baijiu production techniques differ significantly by region and style, and different styles of baijiu can be as distinct as whiskey is to tequila.
The Luzhou Laojiao baijiu distillery invented the “Sichuan baijiu” style. Started in 1573, and using techniques inspired by a local tradition that spans two thousand years, it is the oldest continually operating distillery in China.
