Baijiu

Baijiu (Chinese: 白酒; pinyin: báijiǔ; lit. 'white (clear) liquor'), also known as shaojiu (烧酒/燒酒), is a Chinese colourless liquor typically coming in between 35% and 60% alcohol by volume (ABV). Each type of baijiu uses a distinct type of qū for fermentation unique to the distillery for the distinct and characteristic flavour profile. (...)

Because of its clarity, baijiu can appear similar to several other East Asian liquors, e.g. Japanese shōchū (25%) or Korean soju (20–45%), but it often has a significantly higher alcohol content (35-60%). (...)

Global baijiu market

Baijiu is the world's bestselling liquor, with five billion litres sold in 2016, and 10.8 billion liters sold in 2018, more than whisky, vodka, gin, rum and tequila combined. As well as the most consumed liquor, with 1.2 billion nine-liter cases consumed in 2018, mostly in China - three times the global consumption of vodka.

Baijiu and Chinese business culture

Chinese business culture is known to be intense. It is believed that one's true colour is shown when intoxicated. Therefore, when negotiating a business partnership, there is a tradition of serving high-degree Baijiu on the dinner table, in order to judge one's trustworthiness. 

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Image: Xiaomage de - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org