Beijing Erguotou Baijiu (75cl, 56%)

Beijing Erguotou is a 56% light-aroma (qingxiang) baijiu from Beijing, in a 75cl bottle. Erguotou means 'second pot head', referring to the second distillation, and it is the classic drink style of the capital. The style is made from sorghum fermented with fuqu, a wheat-bran qu, for four to eight days, then rested in ceramic jars for six to twelve months. The short fermentation gives fewer esters, so it drinks milder than many baijius of similar strength. The nose is clean sorghum spirit with mild esters. The palate is direct and warming, and the finish is clean and lingering.