So who here has tried it before? And what are your opinions? White people universally can't seem to stand it; one of my friends described it rather pithily as tasting like "ground up dead old people." Obvious, I do not fully concur.
For those of you who have tried it, what brands do/have you drank, and do you like? I'll start with a quick listing:
Erguotou: The 'vodka' of Chinese liquors. Ubiquitous and strong; quality and price may vary, just like vodka.
Jiannan Chun: A very 'spicy' liquor in my experience that burns a bit as it goes down. A Sichuan brand, decent reputation.
Wuliangye: Very mellow, goes down very smoothly, but leaves behind a line of heat as it goes down your throat and into your belly. Another Sichuan brand that has a very high reputation these days. Very fragrant.
Luzhou Laojiao: A brand originated from Luzhou, where my father was originally from. I've never tried it, so I have no clue about its quality. Supposedly it's been slowly gaining fame in recent years.
And of course, we can't end this without:
Maotai! The most famous of Chinese liquors, the choice of banquets everywhere, the preferred liquor of Chinese dignitaries, and the liquor which Zhou Enlai served to Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon when they came to China. As far as its name and reputation goes, its second to none. I've never tried this either, but it's definitely on my 'to do' list.
Any others?