On November 10, the 2018 Winter Cave Sealing Culture Festival and the launch ceremony of bottled vintage produced by Xiangjiao under the theme of “Value of Time” was held in Xiangjiao Ecological Cultural Brewery, a national AAAA grade scenic spot. Han Lei, a famous singer, Li Rui,a host of Hunan TV, and more than 1,500 group purchase buyers and VIP consumers of Xiangjiao gathered in Shaoyang, Hunan Province, for the great ceremony. This winter sealing ceremony was most star-studded and most participated ever in the history of Xiangjiao. At the ceremony, Xiangyu Liquor Co., Ltd. released a “Xiangjiao bottled vintage” with a history of ten years. It was sold at RMB 2,680, a price higher than that of Maotai. This product filled the gap of bottled vintage in the market of Hunan.

Value of Time

Xiangjiao Bottled Vintage Comes to the Market Stage

When asked about the next breakthrough of the liquor industry at the opening ceremony, Wu Xiangdong, chairman of Jindong Group, said that the next breakthrough is brewing and storing more vintage wine. This prediction is consistent with the current consumption scenario. Wine bought for politicians and businessmen is usually consumed immediately, while many of the private buyers tend to store it and are willing to get beautiful wine at the expense of “time”. “So cost-effective wine that has good quality for future growth is more in line with their demand.”

Wu Xiangdong also indicated that they have stored 1.2 million bottles of Xiangjiao vintage and Jinliufu liquor respectively since 2008 and has maintained this annual storage capacity ever since. It was in 2008 that they first proposed the concept of “bottled vintage”.

In fact, a clear definition of “bottled vintage” was not made until July 19, 2014. The Expert Seminar on Bottled Vintage in China hosted by the Professional Liquor Committee of the China National Food Industry Association was held in Xiangjiao Ecological Cultural Brewery in Hunan. More than 60 top experts and scholars from famous liquor companies like Maotai, Wuliangye, and Jiannanchun gathered to discuss the development of vintage liquor and liquor storage technology. They unanimously appreciated the clear definition of bottled vintage liquor proposed by Xiangjiao. This definition laid the foundation for the storage and certification standards of Chinese vintage liquor and marked a new era of Chinese bottled vintage.

“Brewing craftsmanship” led Xiangjiao to its success in being a pioneer in the industry to set the standard for Chinese vintage liquor. Good liquor has to be brewed. The bottled vintage of Xiangjiao is made by the brewing team of this No.1 company of Hunan liquor. Most of the team members have decades of experience in brewing and they strictly abide by the process requirements of the traditional six brewing methods.

Good liquor is made from good water and good grain. The alpine snow water of Xuefeng Mountain filters naturally through layers of granite 50m under the Zhuangyuan Shoal at the intersection of Zishui and Shaoshui, where it becomes natural high-quality mineral water rarely found in the country. The sorghum is produced from the organic glutinous sorghum base of Xiangjiao. Only those with a diameter of more than 4 mm and a starch rate of more than 70% are selected high-quality raw materials for brewing the liquor of Xiangjiao.

Before sealed in bottles, the vintage has been stored and matured in earthenware jars in a cellar with constant temperature and humidity for several years. The earthenware jars have a microporous network structure that can facilitate the oxidation, adsorption and catalysis of liquor storage to make the finished products more delicate, more elegant and full of aged flavor.

Three of the only five national liquor judges in Hunan are from Xiangjiao Liquor Co., Ltd. In 2008, they carefully selected combinations of high-quality base liquor that has been stored in earthenware jars for several years and ensures that the top liquor was bottled.

After being bottled in 2008, this first batch of vintage liquor, which came in 1.2 million bottles, was awarded notarized certificates  under the authoritative notarization and strict supervision of the staff of the Notary Office of Shaoyang City after a detailed bottle-by-bottle notarization process that lasted for 30 days and nights. From bottling to storage, every link was carried out in a manner that ensured the output of 100% bottled vintage containing the value of time.

Under the witness of more than 1,500 guests, the bottled vintage of Xiangjiao that has been stored, bottled and distilled for ten years was launched to the market and fed their first consumers at the ceremony in the subsequent banquet.

Xiangjiao Cave Jar Liquor Becomes Hard-to-Get

and Deeply Favored Products among Consumers

On the morning of November 10, more than 1,500 guests from different parts of Hunan Province arrived at the 1,700mu Xiangjiao Ecological Cultural Brewery, a place known as the “the most beautiful distillery in China”. In this distillery, classical buildings are found in the shade of greenery along with murmuring streams, vibrant grass, and drooping willow. It’s like a garden with great artistic temperament, a unique one with strong flavor of liquor.

Why did the Winter Cave Sealing Culture Festival of Xiangjiao attract so many guests? The director of the Brand Department of Xiangjiao Liquor Co., Ltd. had the answer: Xiangjiao cave jar liquor was rare products made by top brewers in Hunan, conditioned by three international judges, and sealed in earthenware jars for several years. Xiangjiao seized this chance to have a frank communication with consumers by introducing these scarce products to repay the long-term support of group purchase buyers and VIP consumers. The consumers, in turn, could understand and experience the magic process in which good water and good grain were made into beautiful liquor.

The 5,000m2 cellar of Xiangjiao was full of sealed liquor. Every jar was affixed with a special seal and the guests signed their name on the seals. These were exclusive imprints and marks of privilege, bearing and carrying their yearning for a happy life.