Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/566135
september 2015 / the tasting panel / 127 the distiller adds steamed grains to the qu; thus, sugar conversion and fermentation happens in one step, unlike most other distilled spirits. The end result of this process comes out as a "yellow wine" or huangjiu, which is distilled and then aged for at least a year in terra cotta urns placed in underground cellars or dark rooms. The history of this national treasure spans back thousands of years, and in 1998, a piece of its rich past emerged near the Jinjiang River of Sichuan, China: Renovations at a modern distillery unearthed relics from the Shui Jing Distillery, including bio-cultures from the ancient cellars. As the legend goes, in 1408, Master Wang scoured different sites in China for the perfect location to manufacture a spirit for which he had developed a recipe. He landed where two rivers met and dug a well. After the rediscovery of this spot, "China's oldest baijiu distillery," the yeast, which had been accumulating and evolving in the pits for over almost 600 years, reentered the world of baijiu in 2000, when Shui Jing Fang continued production, six centuries in the making. Establishing both the brand and the entire baijiu category has faced its fair share of chal- lenges within American borders. "Even though the baijiu category has more than 1,000 years of heritage, as a whole, it is still unknown or misunderstood in the western cultures," remarks Yuan Liu, SVP of Business Development at CNS Imports, the oldest and largest supplier of baijiu in the U.S. "Education and proper introduction to baijiu is essential because baijiu was created so long ago, and it comes from a culture with social preferences that are quite different from ours here in the States." As the world becomes more globalized, cultures will unquestionably blend, and customs, like drinking baijiu, will cross borders. Evidence of this phenomenon can be found in the backbars that now house this ancient Chinese spirit. "Within a short time, we have made progress with Shui Jing Fang that was once unimaginable by others," Liu concludes. "I still get great enjoyment and encouragement from watching non-baijiu drinkers pick up a glass of Wellbay and seeing the smile of amazement that emerges on his or her face." Beyond China An Italian restaurant nestled within a Beverly Hills luxury hotel might be a surprising place to find baijiu, but that's not how Roberto Loppi, Beverage Director of Scarpetta in the Montage Beverly Hills, sees it. "Our focus will always be on Italy," he points out, "but I want to be worldlier than that. We have a lot of international guests, Shui Jing Fang's Wellbay (ABV 52%) won a Double Gold at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The spirit has a bold and dynamic flavor profile with a subtle earthy component, which will speak to brown spirit lovers.