Documentation says that the first time the spirit was made in a workshop was during the Ming dynasty, in the 16th century, but it could have been made and drunk as early as the 13th century even.

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The baijiu that we are served has been made on the banks of the Yangtze River in a distillery where the selenium-rich soil is planted with high-quality sorghum. All sorghum produced here is used for making this spirit.

We take a long whiff, and hold our heart to dive in. At first sip, it's not as strong as we thought. But then it hits the back of the throat and comes across as spicy. We realise that it could take us a few hours to get through the glass, although we are told that most Chinese prefer to knock it down as is, from brimming glasses.

Next, we try it in a cocktail. The sommelier makes us a pink mix of pomegranate, gin and barely 5 ml of baijiu. But, it manages to overtake all other flavours. We pair it with edamame dumplings, eggplant and tofu curry, and hakka noodles. It tastes fresh and uncomplicated, with a distinct clear flavour.

Would we recommend it? Yes. The experienced and adventurous drinker will take to it right away, while the novice will need to work at it. It's an acquired taste, but one that you could eventually quite get used to.

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