Served with a twist

"If your first experience of whisky is of Scots telling you to drink a bottle of it, you'd have less people liking it," says Sandhaus. "Undeniably, there's a bit of prejudice that goes in from the US and European points of view. Many people in the world still see Chinese food as cheap and low-class. This affects the way people see all sorts of Chinese products."

"Baijiu as a modern, premium product didn't exist until the second half of the 20th century. So it does take time to gain a global following," Sandhaus adds.

He created Ming River Sichuan Baijiu in partnership with the fourth-biggest baijiu producer, Luzhou Laojiao. The ABV has been kept to 45 percent to enhance the brand's appeal as a cocktail ingredient.

Although it is not sold on the Chinese mainland, the packaging design of Ming River Sichuan Baijiu references elaborate Chinese banquets. The English name was chosen to attract an international audience.

"If you don't speak Mandarin, you can't pronounce Luzhou Laojiao. It's a superficial but important change if you want people in the West to order it," Sandhaus says.