Jim Boyce | Pleasantly surprised is the typical reaction when people first try Taizi. Not only because this spirit hails from New Zealand, a nation few would associate with baijiu, but also due to the taste.
Made with Australia sorghum and New Zealand wheat, Taizi is a “light aroma” baijiu, a category that includes erguotou and fenjiu from northern China and kaoliang from Taiwan, birthplace of the company’s owners. The aroma is light, fresh and complex, with floral, stone fruit and herbal characteristics, and a touch of graininess.
Taizi is clean and balanced, and deceptively mild given its 116-proof pedigree, with a slight viscosity and a spicy licorice-y finish that warms more than burns and lasts for minutes. In our consumer events with six to eight baijius, Taizi usually ranks top two and often number one. It’s a spirit for which people requests seconds.
But there’s nothing magical about Taizi, says Ben Lu, who runs the company with brother Sam Lu. The basic science behind the spirit is the same as is used in China. The key differences, besides the antipodean raw materials, is equipment. The Lus use a copper distillery made by John Dore in the 1850s and do multiple distillations “so the alcohol is more refined”.
The brothers, who moved to New Zealand from Taiwan in 1994, started making baijiu for a simple reason. They love drinking it.
“I drink it everyday,” says Ben. “Quality control.”
They founded New Zealand Chinese Liquor in 2009 in Christchurch, although their plans were slowed by earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. The first first bottles of Taizi, made by John Fitzpatrick, rolled out in 2013.
Production is 21,000 bottles per year and, says Ben, there are no plans to expand.
“We hope to keep it boutique,” he says.
For World Baijiu Day, Taizi teamed with Pot Sticker Dumpling Bar in Christchurch and served its spirit straight and in cocktails alongside food (see below). Ben says he prefers Taizi on ice but notes his mother cuts it with mineral water to about 20 percent alcohol. He also had high praise for the cocktails at PSDB.
Taizi is priced in New Zealand at 150 dollars. For now, it is carried in local department and alcohol stores as well as duty free in Auckland airport. Ben says he is also approaching a Chinese airline to make it part of the in-flight duty free offerings and and aims to make it available on Tmall.
Founded in 2015, World Baijiu Day is held each August 9, with events in over 60 cities so far. Follow WBD on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And get in touch via spirit (at) worldbaijiuday.com.
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