We cover a lot of spirits that are unique, singular, and sometimes even a first in a given category, but this new partnership between Chinese and American spirits companies is one of the most distinctive we’ve tried in a while. Shāng is a baijiu that was produced in China and then brought to Kentucky to be aged and blended with American whiskey, resulting in a spirit that is truly unlike anything else you’ve tasted before.
The backstory and process of this new spirit require some explanation. The two expressions, Shāng Dàn Yǎ and Shāng East + West Kentucky Blend, were created as a collaboration between Guìzhōu Guótái Shùzhì Liquor Group, Maritine Brands, True Essence Foods, The Blending House, and Whiskey House of Kentucky. Shāng starts out as baijiu, a very popular Chinese spirit that is distilled from red sorghum sourced from the Chìshuǐ River basin. Specifically, this is jiángxiāng baijiu, a designation referring to its particular aroma and flavor, which is said to be very savory. The spirit was fermented in earthen pits and distilled, a process that took a year across eight fermentations and seven distillations. Next it was aged in traditional clay pots for a minimum of three years. Unlike aging in a barrel, this does not add flavor; instead it’s about marrying and mellowing the spirit. Finally, it was redistilled in a copper pot still to create a “whiskey base,” meaning it was distilled like a whiskey with the hearts of the distillation run making the final cut.
