Teks: Nancy Rumagit
Foto: Courtesy of JIANGXIAOBAI

Baijiu merupakan kategori spirit terpopuler di dunia yang dikonsumsi lebih dari wiski dan vodka, combined – dan ini dicapai sebelum minuman tersebut menembus market Barat. Kini, Ming River dan JIANGXIAOBAI telah masing-masing meluncurkan versi baijiu mereka, dengan Ming River luncurkan Sichuan Baijiu dan JIANGXIAOBAI luncurkan Chinese Baijiu.

“Baijiu [pronounced bye-j’yo] means ‘white spirits’ in Chinese. It is a diverse drinks category that includes all traditional Chinese grain spirits,” tulis sebuah pernyataan oleh Ming River.

Baijiu dibilang memiliki berbagai varian yang berbeda, dan masing-masing varian dapat memiliki perbedaan sejauh layaknya perbedaan wiski dengan tequila. Sichuan Baijiu karya Ming River, yang juga bisa disebut Strong-Aroma Baijiu, disebut sebagai varian paling populer di antara varian-varian lain.

Foto: Courtesy of Ming River

“In Sichuan they don’t say, ‘Goodbye.’ They say, ‘Go slowly.’ Take your time. Ming River has taken centuries to arrive, but it couldn’t come any sooner.”

Untuk JIANGXIAOBAI, brand yang telah memenangkan berbagai penghargaan dari San Francisco World Spirit Competition hingga International Wine and Spirit Competition, mereka telah menamakan versi baijiu mereka, Chinese Baijiu.

Foto: Courtesy of JIANGXIAOBAI

“One one hand, JIANGXIAOBAI focuses on the development of light aroma baijiu, making its sorghum baijius softer, more palatable and agreeable than traditional baijiu. On the other hand, JIANGXIAOBAI’s brand image has been continuously updated, approaching the aesthetic standards of young people with an ever fresher and more fashionable image,” tulis mereka dalam sebuah pernyataan.

“Using traditional techniques and craftsmanship to lead contemporary trends, JIANGXIAOBAI embraces a new generation and opens up a whole new world for traditional Chinese baijiu.”