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Also interested in recs. The only comments I'd heard about baijiu before actually trying it were in the vein of the rather hyperbolic sibling comment that comp

Also interested in recs. The only comments I'd heard about baijiu before actually trying it were in the vein of the rather hyperbolic sibling comment that compares it to cow feces. I was surprised to find the particular baijiu I tried more like a very herbal whisky. Maybe people hating on baijiu just haven't tried many hard liquors? At its worst, peaty scotch could be compared to, well, peat (which is decaying vegetation), and mezcal could be compared to burnt plants. But both can taste great.

anfractuosity 2y ago
Interesting re. herbal whisky, do you recall which baijiu you've had? Re. scotch whisky I've heard people referring to laphroaig as smelling of TCP. (I really enjoy peated whisky/smoked beers - I need to try mezcal don't think I've had any before).
- er4hn 2y ago
  I've had baiju that's more herbal before as well. generally good baiju should smell floral. The big problem with Baiju is that most people, at least in the US, are trying the equivalent of Smirnoff / cooking grade stuff because it's cheaply sold at asian marts. Fen Chiew (https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/baijiu/xinghuacun-fen-chiew-30year-qinghua/p/243380375 https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/baijiu/xinghuacun-fen-chie...) is decent stuff that I've bought at a Total Wine in Socal. You can also go to somewhere like a Ranch 99 and look for a mid tier bottle. Whatever you do don't get the "Red Star" brand (google for pics), it's bottom of the barrel stuff, the "Popov Vodka" of Baiju as a rough analogy :)