🥃 Gujing Gongjiu

Gujing Gongjiu is a Chinese brand of strong-aroma (nongxiang) baijiu from the town of Gujing near the city of Bozhou in Anhui province. It is produced by Anhui Gujing Distillery, which traces its lineage to the Gongxing Caofang distillery of 1515. The name means «tribute wine from the old well»: «gong» was a drink presented to the imperial court.

History. According to the company profile on the cninfo stock portal, the predecessor was the Gongxing Caofang distillery, founded in the tenth year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming dynasty, that is, in 1515. In 1959 it became the state Gujing distillery. The joint-stock company was founded in 1996, and that same year it became the first Chinese spirits producer to issue A and B class shares. The company describes Bozhou as the homeland of the warlord Cao Cao and the physician Hua Tuo.

Style. The flagship is strong-aroma baijiu (nongxiang); the company describes it as clear as crystal, with an orchid aroma, soft and with a long finish. Visit Beijing links the drink to the water of an old well in Bozhou. The group now has four brands, Gujinggong, Huanghelou, Laomingguang and Guibao, and five aroma types, including light-aroma and sauce-aroma.

Protection and heritage. For Gujing Gongjiu the Chinese product standard with protected origin GB/T 19327-2007 applies, in force since 1 May 2008; it replaced the 2003 standard. In 2013 the production site was listed as a state-level cultural relic, and the technique was added to China's intangible cultural heritage.

Why it matters to you. Gujing Gongjiu is an example of strong-aroma baijiu from outside Sichuan, so compare it with Luzhou Laojiao rather than with vodka. The series on the label shows the level of the drink, and the strength varies, so check the % ABV figure. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe dose of alcohol.