Jishou Hexi Aromatic Vinegar

Jishou Hexi Aromatic Vinegar

　　A specialty seasoning from Jishou. Produced in Hexi Town, Jishou City, it has an orange-red color and is also known as "Red Vinegar." It was first created in the fifth year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1800) by the wife of Yu Sen (courtesy name Chengtai), a soldier stationed with the Qing army, for household consumption and as a gift for relatives and friends. Due to its excellent color, aroma, and taste, it quickly gained popularity, and the production technique soon spread among the local people. To this day, the Yu family has lived in Hexi for six generations, and Hexi Aromatic Vinegar has a history of over 190 years. In the early years of the Republic of China, the vinegar began to be produced as a commercial product and became popular in cities across the province as well as in large and medium-sized cities in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan. In 1986, it won the “Hibiscus Award” at the Hunan Provincial Exhibition of Famous, High-Quality, and Special New Products. The vinegar is made primarily from fragrant red rice along with spices such as star anise, cloves, sandalwood, fennel, Sichuan peppercorn, and cassia bark. Its production process is extremely meticulous, especially as it uses spring water from Hexi that originates from red sandstone layers—water that is pure and has excellent physicochemical properties—resulting in a product with a rich, mellow aroma that wafts through the bottle, a bright reddish color, crystal-clear transparency, a deliciously refreshing taste, and a long-lasting aftertaste. (Jishou)

　　Hexi Aromatic Vinegar is produced by Jishou Hexi Aromatic Vinegar Co., Ltd. and is one of the most distinctive seasoning products in Hunan Province’s food industry. Made primarily from high-quality, pollution-free mountain-grown rice, the vinegar is fermented using several unique medicinal herbs from the Wuling Mountain area to make the starter culture, and blended with ancient mineral-rich “Lion Mountain” spring water that contains numerous beneficial minerals for the human body. It undergoes more than a year and a half of meticulous brewing. The product is filtered multiple times, contains no added artificial coloring, and features a natural brownish-red hue, a rich aroma, a refreshing taste without astringency, a mildly sweet aftertaste, and is scientifically sterilized for ready-to-eat convenience. Additionally, it is rich in various amino acids, vitamins, and other nutritionally beneficial substances. Regular consumption can help soften blood vessels and prevent cardiovascular diseases such as high blood lipids and high blood pressure. It is an excellent choice for health maintenance, seasoning, and dining accompaniment.

　　During the brewing process, Hexi Aromatic Vinegar fully retains the nutritional components of its raw materials. Its flavor and nutritional value are no less impressive than those of Shanxi Aged Vinegar and Zhenjiang Aromatic Vinegar. Its uniquely delicate fragrance sets it apart from the soy-like aroma of Zhenjiang Aromatic Vinegar and the aged scent of Shanxi Aged Vinegar. Hexi Aromatic Vinegar may appear light in color, but its flavor is naturally exquisite, standing out uniquely and forming its own distinctive style, which has won widespread favor among consumers.