Like fashion, liquor trends are ever-changing, evolving with the progression of people’s tastes and fancies. One particular spirit that has been making waves as of late is Chinese baijiu.
Hugely popular in China, baijiu is a clear distilled, high alcohol spirit. In Mandarin, its name directly translates to ‘white wine’. But compared to the version of the West, this unassuming spirit is anything but bright and fruity.
A new player in the spirit industry, Langjiu is the next drinkable hot topic. It’s only a matter of time that it’ll find itself cemented into the shelves and menus of many establishments. A new range of Chinese baijiu (grain-based clear-coloured liquor), this new brand of baijiu is launched by Thai-pore Enterprise Pte Ltd (Thai-pore). They aim to tap on the growing popularity of Chinese spirits here in Singapore.
As baijiu is still a relatively uncommon spirit beyond China’s borders, Langjiu will be making guest appearances in the form of craft cocktails in several well-loved Singapore cocktail bars and restaurants.
Read on to find out what these 5 bars have in store!
More About Langjiu
Made in China’s Sichuan province, Langjiu draws on the ancient craft of baijiu distillation to produce only the finest quality spirit. It undergoes a rather rigorous process starting with grinding sorghum—a cereal grain and quintessential baijiu—and mixing it with water and yeast before leaving it to age for six months.
It then undergoes a repeated process of steaming and further fermentation before the mixture is distilled into earthen jars and finally stored in the Tianbao cave—a cave system located in the Sichuan Province—for further aging.
How Does Langjiu Taste?
The result, after the liquor has been carefully blended, is a highly fragrant crystal-clear spirit that boasts a slightly sour nose, along with a subtle umami note. Some go as far as to compare it with soy sauce.
The traditional method would be to enjoy it neat or simply over ice. However, many cocktail bars around the world have adopted modern mixology techniques to fashion this underrated spirit into something more suitable for contemporary palates.
Where You Can Find (And Taste) Langjiu
Restaurants:
- Xi Yan Maxwell
- Tung Lok XiHe at Turf City
- Crystal Jade Golden Palace at Paragon
- Jumbo Seafood at Ion Orchard
- Lao Beijing
- Kai Garden
- Old Cheng Du
Cocktail bars:
- Oxwell & Co.
- Komyuniti by Yotel
- Telok Ayer Arts Club
- The Single Cask
Two Weeks Menu by KOMYUNITI (Yotel Singapore)
Head Bartender Utt concocted a full-bodied savoury cocktail comprising ginger liqueur, fresh Lemon, Hong Hua Lang (Langjiu 10), strawberry puree, Shiitake mushroom foam and pickled shallot powder.
In collaboration with Langjiu and KOMYUNITI, we are giving away a pair of these umami-packed Langjiu cocktails! Join our giveaway on Instagram.
The Silk Road by The Single Cask
An ode to Lanjiu’s Chinese roots, The Silk Road is a creation by bartender Chee Wei De. It sees the culmination of many prominent elements and ingredients such as lychee, peach and lapsang souchong tea that have played key roles in popular Chinese folklore.
Bloom by Oxwell & Co.
Playing on the floral notes of Langjiu, Oxwell & Co. has crafted a cocktail that comprises various flowery components.
Their ‘Bloom’ features Sakura concentrate, osmanthus and marigold along with maraschino liqueur and lemon soda added to bring out the light floral flavours of Hong Hua Lang (Langjiu 10).
Dou Hua Jiu by Telok Ayer Arts Club
Brilliantly crafting a drink that best represents both Chinese tradition and Singapore’s local quirks, Dou Hua Jiu is a rich cocktail of Hong Hua Lang (Langjiu 10), soybean milk, almond liqueur, pandan syrup, coconut syrup and saline.
The finished cocktail is served in a traditional Chinese bowl topped with youtiao (fried dough fritters)—a homage to a popular Taiwanese breakfast staple.
Lang 1898 by Xi Yan Maxwell
Presented in a bowl with a glutinous rice ball, The Lang 1898 takes inspiration from the traditional dessert “Tangyuan”, that represents family unity and reunion. This cocktail and dessert hybrid is a homage to Langjiu’s founding in China in the year 1898. Keeping it simple, this cocktail is made using sweet ginger soup and Langjiu 10.
All photos are credited to Langjiu Asia.
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