Mixiang Baijiu
Mixiang baijiu is a style of Chinese distilled spirit made entirely from polished rice rather than the more common sorghum. Contemporary trade and academic literature group it with sauce-, strong- and light-aroma spirits as one of the “four major aromas” that structure modern baijiu classification. Because its ester load is lower than in sorghum spirits, commentators describe mixiang baijiu as an approachable gateway for drinkers familiar with vodka, soju or mild sake.
Sensory profile
Rice baijiu is famous for having a characteristic rice fragrance. One famous brand of rice baijiu is called Sanhuajiu, which is produced in Guilin, Guangxi province.Instrumental analyses identify ethyl lactate, acetic acid and isoamyl alcohol as signature volatiles, with principal-component mapping citing ethyl lactate as the key marker distinguishing mixiang baijiu from awamori and kome-shōchū. Trade writers characterise the flavour as honey-like, floral and delicately sweet, calling it “one of the most elegant baijius”.
Name
The name "rice fragrance baijiu" may mislead the drinker, who may regard it as simply ordinary baijiu flavoured by rice. In fact, this kind of distilled beverage differs from sorghum-based baijiu in that its main ingredient is rice."Mibaijiu" is also the name of a type of Chinese rice wine produced in the Jiangsu province.