Rice Aroma

A different grain, a different starter

Rice aroma baijiu is made from rice, fermented with xiaoqu, the 'small qu' typical of southern China, which is made from rice and gives softer, lighter spirits than the wheat-based daqu of the north. Fermentation is semi-liquid rather than solid-state, which is closer to the way other Asian rice spirits are made.

Honey and roses

Its main aroma compound is ethyl lactate, accompanied by β-phenylethanol, which gives a delicate floral, rose-like note. The result is clean, mild and gently sweet.

How to recognise it

The label says 米香型 (mǐxiāng xíng). It is clear and lighter in strength than most northern baijiu. The nose is soft and sweet: cooked rice, honey, a little citrus peel and a floral, rose-like note.

Guilin and the south

Its home is Guangxi, around Guilin, where the karst landscape and warm, humid climate suit rice and small-qu fermentation. Guilin Sanhua is the reference, and its name is linked to the 'flowers', the bubbles, that appear when the spirit is shaken: a traditional sign of quality.

A bridge to other Asian spirits

Because it is made from rice with a small qu and semi-liquid fermentation, rice aroma is the baijiu closest in spirit to other rice-based drinks of East and Southeast Asia. For drinkers who know Japanese shochu or Korean soju, it can feel surprisingly familiar.

How to taste it

Serve it at room temperature or lightly chilled. Its gentle, honeyed profile makes it one of the best baijiu to drink with food rather than only for toasts.