Guojiao 1573

Guojiao 1573

　　Guojiao 1573 is a flagship product of the Luzhou Laojiao series of liquors, originating from the national treasure cellar pits built during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era (i.e., the year 1573). Using traditional distilled liquor brewing techniques, the liquor is colorless and transparent, with an elegant cellar aroma, smooth and sweet taste, well-balanced flavors, and a long-lasting fragrant finish, showcasing a classic style.

　　Luzhou Guojiao 1573 is the flagship product of the Luzhou Laojiao series of liquors, originating from the "national treasure cellar pits" built during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era (i.e., the year 1573). Using traditional distilled liquor brewing techniques, the liquor is colorless and transparent, with an elegant cellar aroma, smooth and sweet taste, well-balanced flavors, and a long-lasting fragrant finish, showcasing a classic style. The base of the packaging is decorated with golden five-star honeysuckle patterns, presenting the shape of a traditional imperial seal. The outer box is predominantly covered in the bright red color of the national flag, while the bottle is made from German crystal glass used for Guojiao 1573. The bottle and outer box feature 960 five-pointed stars symbolizing the country’s land area, and the “1573” wording is bordered in pure gold. In 2001, it was designated as the official state banquet liquor by the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. In 2002, it received national certification for origin-standard quality. 8uB

　　The origin of the name “Guojiao 1573”: 8uB

　　“Guojiao” (National Cellar): In 1996, relevant authorities ordered the protection of the ancient brewing cellar pits owned by Luzhou Laojiao Co., Ltd. in Luzhou as national key cultural relics. This remains the only such honor in China’s liquor brewing industry to date. Hence the name “Guojiao.” 8uB

　　“1573”: The year 1573 AD, the first year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty. That year, the 14th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yijun (the Wanli Emperor), ascended the throne and initiated a new era name. Chronicles record that it was also the year when Luzhou Laojiao began forming a large-scale cluster of brewing cellar pits. Over the course of 438 years (from 1573 to 2011), these cellar pits have continuously fermented year after year — a fact of significant importance and practical value in brewing techniques. After China invented the (solid-state) distilled liquor technique, the foundational taste quality of distilled spirits largely depended on the fermentation cellar pits. This is also the most distinct difference between Chinese distilled liquor and other major global distilled spirits such as Whisky and Brandy, which rely on aging (in oak barrels). For Chinese distilled liquor, maturation and aroma development primarily occur during the cellar fermentation process. 8uB