🥃 Zhimaxiang
Zhimaxiang is sesame-aroma baijiu with no sesame in it: the roasted-sesame smell comes from sulphur compounds and pyrazines formed in fermentation. From Shandong, a separate type of baijiu since 1995.
Zhimaxiang (sesame-aroma type, 芝麻香型, pinyin zhimaxiangxing) is a type of Chinese baijiu that smells of roasted sesame, produced mainly in Shandong, Henan and Jiangsu provinces. There is no sesame in it: the smell comes from sulphur compounds and pyrazines formed during fermentation. The aroma was first noticed in 1957 in the baijiu Jingzhi Baigan, and zhimaxiang was recognised as a separate type in 1995.
How it is made. The technology borrows from the three basic types: fermentation in heaps, as in sauce aroma; steaming of the grain, as in light aroma; and fermentation in brick pits with a clay bottom, as in strong aroma. The starter is a mix of daqu and bran starter made from pure microbial cultures, and high-temperature daqu gives a lot of pyrazines.
Aroma. A review in Food Chemistry: X (2023) reports about 460 micro-components in zhimaxiang, among them 181 esters, 53 pyrazines and 47 sulphur compounds. According to a review in Foods (2022), the main source of the sesame note is 2-furfurylthiol, with dimethyl trisulphide and beta-damascenone also important.
Standards. An industry standard, QB/T 2187-1995, appeared in 1995, followed by the national standard GB/T 20824-2007. The type is now governed by GB/T 10781.9-2021, in force since 1 March 2022. Researchers link the emergence of the type to the less humid, hotter climate of northern China.
Why this matters to you. The mark 芝麻香型 on a label describes the aroma, not the ingredients: there is no sesame in the drink, and the smell is created by fermentation. Strength varies, so check the % ABV figure. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Legal basis | GB/T 10781.9-2021 — sesame-aroma baijiu (in force from 01.03.2022); earlier QB/T 2187-1995 and GB/T 20824-2007 |
|---|---|
| Raw material | grain; daqu and bran starter from pure cultures |
| Distillation method | solid-state distillation after fermentation in heaps and brick pits |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Zhimaxiang → 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
- 🥃 Kweichow Moutai, 🥃 Nongxiang, 🥃 Nongxiang, 🥃 Qingxiang, 🥃 Qingxiang, 🥃 Mixiang, 🥃 Mixiang, 🥃 Fengxiang, 🥃 Fengxiang, 🥃 Texiang
Frequently asked questions
Is there sesame in zhimaxiang baijiu?
No. The roasted-sesame smell comes from sulphur compounds and pyrazines produced by fermentation, mainly 2-furfurylthiol.
Where does zhimaxiang come from?
The aroma was first noticed in 1957 in the baijiu Jingzhi Baigan; the main production areas are Shandong, Henan and Jiangsu.
When did zhimaxiang become a recognised type of baijiu?
In 1995, when the industry standard QB/T 2187-1995 was issued.
How is zhimaxiang similar to sauce-aroma baijiu (jiangxiang)?
In technology: fermentation in heaps and high-temperature daqu give many pyrazines, but the sesame note is defined by sulphur compounds.
Which standard covers zhimaxiang?
GB/T 10781.9-2021, Requirements for the quality of baijiu, Part 9: sesame-aroma baijiu, in force since 1 March 2022.
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
🥃 Fengxiang · 🥃 Texiang · 🥃 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 9, GB/T 10781.9-2021 芝麻香型白酒 (sesame-aroma baijiu), issued 20.08.2021, in force 01.03.2022, current
- Chen H. et al. Uncover the flavor code of roasted sesame for sesame flavor baijiu. Foods 11(7):998 (2022) — first discovery in Jingzhi Baigan 1957; QB/T 2187-1995 and GB/T 20824-2007; daqu with bran qu; Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu; 2-furfurylthiol OAV 1182
- Qiao L., Wang J., Wang R., Zhang N., Zheng F. A review on flavor of Baijiu and other world-renowned distilled liquors. Food Chemistry: X 20 (2023) 100870 — sesame aroma developed from light, strong and sauce processes; about 460 trace components incl. 181 esters, 53 pyrazines, 47 sulfur compounds
- Tu W. et al. Chinese Baijiu: the perfect works of microorganisms. Frontiers in Microbiology 13:919044 (2022), table of flavor types — sesame flavour: Jingzhi; daqu and fuqu (bran); brick cellar with mud bottom
- 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) — sesame aroma determined as an independent type in 1995; technology similar to sauce aroma; high-temperature daqu and pyrazines; drier northern climate
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)