Jingzhi 8 Year Baijiu Review

This Baijiu magically made it way to me via some investor friends. I am not sure it has ever made its’s way to the USA nor has it been reviewed here yet. If you are unfamiliar with Baijiu check out the Wiki here. What sets Baijiu apart from other spirits, is the slow fermentation process, and the use of a grain culture called qu instead of yeast.

Jingyangchun has been making spirits in China since 1973. Their website describes their products as “liquor with strong flavor distilled from cereals based on its unique style of heavy fermentation pit aroma, refreshing and soft tastes as well as long time aftertaste remain.” Raw materials: sorghum, wheat, rice, glutinous rice, and maize. Its unique style is heavy fermentation pit aroma

Jingzhi 8 year Baijiu

Jingzhi 8 year Baijiu 52%/104 proof $90 500ml

Nose - very floral and sweet, green apple, pear, elderflower and honeydew melon

Full bodied mouth feel with very fruity flavors, banana, lychee, melon with a hint of malt and sesame

The finish is long and sweet, flavors of orange blossom, pear, and melon

Typically Baijiu is aged in ceramic pots, and I guess that this is the case with this 8-year spirit, as it is more flavorful than the 5-year variety I also sampled. This flavor profile is in the strongly flavored category, and I found it quite fruity and pleasant albeit quite bold at 104 proof.

Bitter Orange Liqueur Recipe

I am a huge fan of bitter liqueurs, at a trade show I picked up a bunch of big chunk bitter orange peel and decided to work on a recipe:

Bitter Orange Liqueur

750ml 80 proof vodka or silver rum
2 tablespoons bitter orange peel
100ml sugar
50ml water

In an aging container, combine the vodka and the bitter orange peel. Let sit for 30 days, filter and pour back into the aging container. In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When sugar is dissolved, set aside to cool. When cool combine with the rum in the aging container stirring to combine. Let sit for a month, then bottle.

This bitter liqueur is very reminiscent of Campari or other amaro’s albeit less complex.

Four Spirits Single Malt Whiskey Review

Four Spirits Single Malt Whiskey

This was the wildcard out of the dozen American Single Malts I reviewed  This small-batch whiskey is distilled onsite at their distillery in Corvallis, Oregon and made from pure Malted Barley, aged in new American Oak.  While there is no age statement my guess is this is around 2 years in the barrel.

Fours Spirits Single Malt Whiskey 40%/80proof $49.95 750ml

Aromas of banana popsicle and chai tea
Flavors very sugary reminiscent of bubblegum, custard and bananas foster
A short fruity, grassy finish, lightly oaky

I have sampled this to a number of others to positive reviews and I have to say the sweetness may sound a bit odd, but I find rather fun, pleasant and very drinkable. I look forward to samples that have been in the barrel for 4 years or more!

4 Spirits Distillery – 4SpiritsDistillery.com