Drink of the Week: Christmas on the Baijiu
By Chilled Magazine
Chilled 100 Bartender Daniella Keenan is a Delaware-native who divides her time between the east coast and Atlanta markets.
She is head bartender at Eggspectation and writes cocktail menus for its group, High 5 Hospitality. Dani uses her culinary background to make creative and delicious libations.
“Baijiu is a bit of a novelty in America but is actually one of the top selling liquors in the world,” explains Dani. “Hailing from China, it is incredibly unique. Made from fermented sorghum, it immediately hits the nose with a floral, fruity smell that has a hint of sourness to it. The flavor is funky and has proven to be versatile. It’s able to be used as a base, a rinse, or as an added layer to a cocktail. It is sweet and spicy at the same time, both umami and honey, in the strangest way. I have found it to work well as a substitute for mezcal in a cocktail, and it stands nicely as the star of the drink.”
Christmas on the Baijiu
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Ming River baijiu
- 1 oz. blood orange juice
- 1/2 oz. Don Ciccio & Figli Nocino liqueur
- 3 drops saline
- 3/4 oz. cranberry cinnamon syrup
- 3 dashes Peychauds bitters
- Herbsaint rinse
Preparation: Rinse glass with herbsaint and discard extra. Fill with crushed ice over the top. Stir Ming River, blood orange, nocino and saline in a shaker tin with ice until chilled. Double strain into glass. Top with cranberry cinnamon syrup, Peychauds bitters and garnish with fresh cranberries.