On Wednesday, 12 April, I visited Niulanshan Distillery, which greatly reminded me of River Antoine distillery — in concept, using traditional methods — and in the taste of the liquor sample, which was a close second to Grenada’s purest and oldest white rum, Rivers.
Chinese medicinal liquor display, Niulanshan Distillery. Photo: SLCT. Nutmeg top left.
China’s state-owned Niulanshan Distillery has an operational philosophy of “making great liquor for the people.” Our group toured the Culture Garden, which houses the Beijing Niulanshan Erguotou Liquor Culture Museum and China Alcoholic Drinks Association Liquor Culture Museum. The installations and displays of distillation techniques, historical and innovation-driven development and Chinese liquor culture were educational and impressive.
Nutmeg top left. Chinese medicinal liquor display, Niulanshan Distillery. Photo: SLCT
Liquor has had medicinal properties for centuries and was actively used as such. The Niulanshan region’s yellow wine and white liquor have been famous since Emperor Kangxi’s rule from 1662 to 1722 — the longest of any Chinese emperor — to the present day. I was delighted to locate a display for 2 medicinal liquors, and one of the ingredients was mace-covered nutmeg! The tour guides confirmed nutmeg but could not, unfortunately, provide me with the liquor formula.
Traditional equipment at Niulanshan Distillery museum. Photo: SLCT
Something else value-added for us to do in Grenada…medicinal nutmeg liquor! And perhaps reinvent the Vick formula that used to contain Grenada nutmeg… and said so on the label. Come to think of it, Trinidad’s Bermudez brand Rough Top cookies contain nutmeg, and, again, the package used to say Grenada nutmeg, but not sure if this is still so.
History of Chinese liquor at Niulanshan Distillery museum. Photo: SLCT