Fenjiu Black Baijiu

Smell: Dirt, plants, raw vegetables, grain, alcohol, lemon peel. Taste: Begins sweet, with raw vegetables and a dry edge. The alcohol is always present but masked by plant, mineral, and herb tastes. The feel is plain, not slick or watery, and there's a trace of salt. End: Medium/short. Unusual, plant-based grain that vanishes quickly into a plain black pepper aftertaste, alternating between sweet, sour, and salty. A bit of damp paper is there too. This is made by the Xinghuacun Fenjiu Distillery in northern Shanxi province (older spelling is "Fen Chiew"). It's a clear spirit, not dark. Fen Jiu Black is a regular product, similar to Johnnie Walker Black. This is my first light-aroma baijiu; I'm missing the strong fruit notes found in strong-aroma baijiu. It's crisp and clean with much happening. While it shares a family likeness with the stronger styles, it's much closer to a vegetal/herbal flavored vodka. The smell is somewhat like some agave spirits, but funkier and more complex. It also brings to mind some clairin and rhums agricole. The aromas or tastes aren't identical, but they all have an earthy, funky quality, likely from wild yeasts and partial bacterial fermentation. It's also vaguely like shochu (though less refined) and sake (though much more elegant). It has an appealing quality, and its lower congener count might make it good in drinks. However, I'm unsure what to mix it with; it would likely be very difficult to combine with western ingredients. Perhaps fruit juices? I've only had it neat at room temperature, but the label suggests serving it chilled or slightly warm. More experimentation is needed. ------------------------------------------------ Update 15 January 2024 After finishing this bottle, I can say it's one of my least favorite baijiu expressions. It remained the same each time, and I was eventually happy to finish it. My preferred way to drink it was chilled with rocks, pineapple juice, and an orange slice, which might offend purists. The original rating stands, and I won't repurchase it. -------------------------------------------------- “Above Average”: 82/100 (3.25)