Baijiu, China's national spirit, seeking markets abroad where taste still fails to intoxicate

Baijiu has the distinction of being the most-consumed spirit in the world. Some 10.8 billion litres of baijiu were consumed in 2018 alone, according to estimates by industry analysis group IWSR. But most baijiu is consumed in China, where the liquor is made, and efforts to take “China’s national drink” abroad have so far failed to take off. Thirsty for new markets, distilleries in China remain optimistic they can follow the path to international fame taken by once-obscure alcoholic drinks…