Fenjiu Summer | A Taste of the East Lingers in London

In the height of the London summer, a seasonal exploration of Chinese baijiu has drawn to a successful close.

From 29 July to 2 August, the fourth edition of Fenjiu Summer took place in London. Initiated by Jazz Trading in partnership with Michelin-recommended restaurant YiQi and contemporary Chinese tea and cocktail bar Lotus Realm, the event offered London consumers a fresh perspective on Chinese baijiu through a series of limited-edition cocktails and diverse dining and drinking experiences.

From modern Asian cuisine to contemporary Chinese tea and cocktail culture, and from classic cocktails to the aromas of traditional Chinese tea, this summer we set out to bring Fenjiu to London’s tables and glasses in a more relaxed and approachable way — inviting more people to discover a different side of Chinese baijiu beyond its traditional image.

PART 01

From the Dining Table to the Bar: Discovering New Possibilities for Baijiu

For many consumers outside China, Chinese baijiu remains both familiar and unfamiliar. It has a centuries-old distilling tradition and a distinctive flavour profile, yet it is still often associated with formal Chinese banquets, festive occasions and drinking neat.

This edition of Fenjiu Summer moved beyond the conventions of a traditional tasting, bringing baijiu into the real-world dining and social settings of London. The programme took place across YiQi and Lotus Realm: one bringing Chinese baijiu into conversation with modern Asian dining and contemporary cocktail culture, the other exploring a modern expression of Eastern flavours through the meeting of tea and spirits.

PART 02

Four Limited-Edition Cocktails, Four Distinctive Expressions

Designed around the character of each venue and its drinking experience, the event introduced four limited-edition cocktails. At YiQi, Qinghua Fenjiu and Zhuyeqing Jiu were reimagined within the familiar frameworks of the Mojito and Margarita respectively.

Fenjiu × Tamarind Mojito

Qinghua Fenjiu was combined with tamarind, apple, lime, mint and preserved plum. While retaining the refreshing character of a Mojito, the cocktail introduced a more distinctly Asian flavour profile. The sweet-and-sour notes of the fruit and freshness of the mint balanced the spirit, giving the baijiu a lighter, distinctly summery expression.

Fenjiu × Sally Margarita

Zhuyeqing Jiu was paired with Cointreau, Sally juice, lime and syrup. Within the Margarita’s familiar balance of sweet and sour, the distinctive herbal aromas of Zhuyeqing Jiu were allowed to shine, lending an unmistakably Eastern dimension to the classic cocktail.

If YiQi showcased the meeting of Chinese baijiu and contemporary cocktail culture, at Lotus Realm it was tea and spirits that took centre stage.

竹间雨 Rain Through Bamboo

Built around Zhuyeqing Jiu, Rain Through Bamboo brought together Tieguanyin tea, Asian pear, lemon and milk. The orchid-like fragrance of Tieguanyin complemented the delicate herbal character of Zhuyeqing Jiu, allowing the aromas of tea and spirit to blend naturally while giving the cocktail a distinctly Eastern sense of poetry and atmosphere.

醉青花 Blue Porcelain

Qinghua Fenjiu met Da Hong Pao tea alongside white grape, lemon, honey and milk. The purity of Qinghua Fenjiu intertwined with the tea’s long, mineral-rich finish, creating nuanced layers of tea, fruit and spirit.

PART 03

From One Summer to New Possibilities

During the event, many guests encountered and tasted Chinese baijiu for the first time.

Cocktails provided an accessible introduction, allowing newcomers to begin with familiar fruit and tea aromas and sweet-and-sour flavours before discovering the character, complexity and layers of baijiu itself.

For us, this is precisely why Fenjiu Summer continues year after year. It is about far more than simply drinking. More importantly, it creates opportunities for Chinese baijiu to move beyond a single traditional drinking context and find new connections across different cultures, dining habits and lifestyles.

When someone encountering baijiu for the first time is willing to pick up a glass and try a Fenjiu-based cocktail; when a Chinese spirit can feel entirely at home in London’s restaurants, bars and tea spaces, the distance between Chinese baijiu and international consumers becomes a little smaller.

The fourth edition of Fenjiu Summer may have come to an end, but the exploration of Chinese baijiu’s potential in the UK market continues. From traditional serves to creative cocktails, and from the Chinese dining table to an increasingly diverse range of hospitality and lifestyle settings, Chinese baijiu is adopting a more open outlook as it builds connections with different cultures and a new generation of consumers.

This represents not only innovation in how baijiu is enjoyed, but also greater opportunities for Chinese baijiu to be discovered, understood and chosen by consumers in international markets.

With more than two decades of roots in the UK and a specialist focus on the import and distribution of Chinese baijiu and tea, Jazz Trading has long been committed to bringing representative Chinese brands to the British market and helping more industry partners and consumers discover and understand Chinese drinking culture.

Looking ahead, we will continue to connect Chinese brands with the UK’s restaurants, bars and wider lifestyle landscape, ensuring that Chinese baijiu does more than simply reach international markets — it becomes a genuine part of the everyday experiences of consumers overseas.

For now, this summer’s story has come to a close. But the next time Chinese baijiu raises a glass with the world is only just beginning.