🥃 Fengxiang
Fengxiang (fengxiangxing) is the baijiu type from Fengxiang county in Shaanxi: sorghum on barley-and-pea daqu, short fermentation in young pits, storage in woven vessels; Xifeng is the classic.
If a bottle of Chinese baijiu says fengxiangxing, it is the "phoenix aroma" style from Fengxiang county near the city of Baoji in Shaanxi province. The first character of the name means phoenix: according to legend, this bird lived in those lands, which is where the brand Xifeng gets its name. The classic example is Xifeng. According to researchers, fengxiang was officially recognised as a separate type in 1992.
How it is made. The main raw material is sorghum, and the medium-temperature daqu starter is made from barley and peas, as in the light-aroma type. The fermentation technology resembles the strong-aroma type, but the pits are young: according to a review in Frontiers in Microbiology (2022), they are at most a year old. The fermentation is short, so there is little ethyl lactate in fengxiang.
Storage. A feature of the type is ageing of the distillate in large woven vessels lined inside, which are called the "sea of wine". A 2024 study describes the production of Xifeng as purely grain-based with such "sea" storage, and the taste as soft, refined, sweetish and fresh.
Aroma and standard. Fengxiang combines ethyl acetate, typical of the light-aroma type, with the ethyl hexanoate of the strong type; isoamyl alcohol is also noticeable. The requirements for the type are set by the standard GB/T 10781.6-2025, in force since 1 August 2026; the earlier separate standard GB/T 14867-2007 has been withdrawn.
Why this matters to you. The mark fengxiangxing on the label indicates a style between light and strong aroma: cleaner than nongxiang, but fuller than qingxiang. Strength varies, so check the % vol. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | GB/T 10781.6-2025 — fengxiang-aroma baijiu (in force from 01.08.2026); GB/T 14867-2007 withdrawn |
|---|---|
| Raw material | sorghum; medium-temperature daqu from barley and peas |
| Cask type | woven "sea of wine" vessels, not oak barrels |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Fengxiang → then → 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation ← goes through ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation, 🥃 Distillation
- Made from
- 🍷 Yeast
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Baijiu
- Related to
- 🌍 East Asia
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Nongxiang, 🥃 Nongxiang, 🥃 Qingxiang, 🥃 Qingxiang, 🥃 Mixiang, 🥃 Mixiang, 🥃 Texiang, 🥃 Texiang, 🥃 Zhimaxiang, 🥃 Zhimaxiang, 🥃 Jianxiang, 🥃 Jianxiang
Frequently asked questions
What is fengxiang baijiu, and is it the same as Xifeng?
Not exactly. Fengxiang is an aroma type of baijiu with its own standard; Xifeng is its classic brand from Shaanxi province.
What does fengxiang mean?
"Phoenix aroma": a type from Fengxiang county, where according to legend a phoenix lived.
How is fengxiang different from nongxiang (strong aroma)?
The pits are young, no more than a year old, and fermentation is short, so the aroma is lighter and has less ethyl lactate; the starter is made from barley and peas.
What is the "sea of wine" used for fengxiang?
A large woven vessel lined inside, in which fengxiang distillate is aged; this is how Xifeng is stored.
Which standard covers fengxiang baijiu?
GB/T 10781.6-2025, Requirements for the quality of baijiu, Part 6: fengxiang-aroma baijiu, in force since 1 August 2026.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🍷 Yeast — Microscopic fungi that turn sugar into alcohol and gas.
- 🌍 East Asia — A region in the east of Asia — China, Japan and Korea: milk became an everyday food only in the 20th century, but there are old traditions such as rushan and so; China ranks third in the world for vineyard area.
- 🥃 Jianxiang — Jianxiang (jianxiangxing) is mixed-aroma baijiu that combines the sauce style jiangxiang with the strong style nongxiang; standard GB/T 10781.8-2021, Baiyunbian is the classic example.
Similar
🥃 Texiang · 🥃 Zhimaxiang · 🥃 Qingxiang · 🥃 Mixiang · 🥃 Nongxiang · 🥃 Jianxiang
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- SAMR/SAC national standards register, series GB/T 10781 白酒质量要求 (Baijiu quality requirements): part 6, GB/T 10781.6-2025 凤香型白酒 (feng-aroma baijiu), issued 01.08.2025, in force 01.08.2026; earlier GB/T 14867-2007 凤香型白酒 now abolished
- Tu W. et al. Chinese Baijiu: the perfect works of microorganisms. Frontiers in Microbiology 13:919044 (2022), table of flavor types — feng flavour: Xifeng; sorghum; medium-temperature daqu or fuqu with barley-and-pea starter; cellar no more than one year old; ethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, isoamyl alcohol
- Jin C. et al. The impact of mechanized and traditional processes on microbial diversity and volatile flavor compound formation during Xifeng Baijiu fermentation. Foods 13(22):3710 (2024) — Shaanxi Xifeng Liquor, Baoji; pure-grain brewing with «sea-stored» liquor; mellow, elegant, sweet and cool flavour
- Huang H. et al. Molecular sensomics combined with random forest model can reveal the evolution of flavor type of Baijiu based on differential markers. Foods 13(19):3034 (2024) — feng aroma officially determined in 1992; daqu raw material as for light aroma, technology similar to strong aroma; low ethyl lactate due to short fermentation cycle
- Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism): Famous Brands of Baijiu in China (09.08.2017) — Xifengjiu, Fengxiang County; name from the legend of the phoenix
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)