Wuliangye
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A glass and bottle of Wuliangye
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Wuliangye (Simplified Chinese: 五粮液; Traditional Chinese: 五糧液; Pinyin: Wǔliángyè; literally "five grain liquid") is a Baijiu made in Yibin, in southern Sichuan. It is one of the leading examples of the strong-aroma (浓香, nongxiang) style and is named after its mixed-grain base of five cereals. Wuliangye is both the name of the flagship spirit and of the company that makes it, Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd.[1]
Origin and region
Yibin stands where the Min and Jinsha rivers meet to form the Yangtze, and the area has a long history of grain wine. Company and local histories trace the spirit to multi-grain liquors of the Tang and Song periods and to Ming-dynasty workshops whose fermentation pits are still said to be in use. The name "Wuliangye" is usually credited to a local scholar at a banquet in 1909; this origin story is traditional rather than documented in detail. In the 1950s several Yibin distilleries were combined into a state-run enterprise that took the Wuliangye name, and the listed company was formed in 1998.[1]
Raw materials
- Five grains — sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, wheat and corn (maize), in a house blend
- Qu — wheat-based daqu shaped as a raised "bun" (包包曲)
- Water from the Yibin area
Overview only — not a recipe.
Production (overview)
Like other strong-aroma baijiu, Wuliangye is fermented in solid state in pits lined with mud that has been used and re-used for many years; the microbes living in the old mud are considered essential for aroma. Fermented grains are taken out in layers, distilled in batches, and the spirit is graded, stored and later blended. Part of each batch of spent grain is mixed back with fresh grain for the next round, a continuous method typical of Sichuan baijiu.[2] The Wuliangye traditional brewing technique was added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008.[2]
Style and taste
Strong-aroma baijiu is rich in fruity esters, especially ethyl hexanoate, which gives an aroma often compared to pineapple or ripe fruit. Wuliangye is usually described as full, rounded and sweetish with a long finish. The company makes bottlings across a range of strengths, with 52% the best-known.[1]
Culture
Wuliangye is one of the classic "famous liquors" of China and a common choice for weddings, business dinners and gifts, alongside Moutai. Sichuan, with Wuliangye, Luzhou Laojiao, Jiannanchun and other producers, is often called the heartland of strong-aroma baijiu.[1]
Notes
- "Wuliang" (五粮, five grains) also appears in the names of the company's secondary brands; not every bottle with "wuliang" in its name is the flagship spirit.
- This page does not give prices or buying advice.