Recipe
- 1oz Chinese baijiu (Ming River)
- 1oz Sichuan peppercorn infused Campari (1tsp whole peppercorns to 4oz Campari for 24hrs)
- 1oz sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica)
- (optional) 1 drop of saline (saltwater)
Stir all ingredients with ice, then strain over a fresh large cube of ice. Torch a star anise, and set over top.
About
Negroni Week continues with this fun variant utilizing the famed Chinese spirit, BAIJIU. Traditionally, baijiu is a social spirit, imbibed alongside meals in good company. It only makes sense to pair this with the famous flavors of its home region: mouth-numbing (“ma la”) Sichuan chilies!
This drink is fruity and savory; the bitterness of Campari is engulfed by the wilder flavors of the baijiu, and you’re left with a lingering pleasant numbing tingle from the peppercorns.
I have talked extensively about baijiu in these posts, so if you’re interested, give those a read! Baijiu is very little known outside of China, though in recent years it’s been creeping into the Western cocktail scene. Ming River has been championing this effort with an education-focused approach in sharing “strong-aroma” baijiu from Sichuan with the world.
Though Baijiu can readily be found at Chinese groceries, the lack of clear labeling/English/info on the bottles makes it tremendously difficult to decipher the selection. With several vastly different styles of baijiu and poorer ones reminiscent of gasoline and paint thinner 😨, it’s easy to go wrong. Ming River has made strides in bridging this gap with their bottling, which is authentic and true to the category, but more approachable in flavor than some bottles you’ll find.
The flavors of “strong aroma” baijiu is difficult to describe, but is notably fruity (pineapple) yet savory and musty. It opens up new territory for cocktail experimentation and is totally unlike any other spirit! The closest comparison is probably something like an ultra high-ester overproof Jamaican rum crossed with Batavia arrack and grappa.
Gan bei!