Separated by thousands of miles, the eastern and western edges of Eurasia share a profound appreciation for festive gatherings. In Scandinavia, people welcome midsummer or the depths of winter with a chilled glass of aquavit. In China, a rich cup of baijiu is the indispensable bond of family banquets and joyous reunions. These two clear spirits represent the culinary soul of their respective regions and reflect unique, deeply rooted traditions of hospitality that have evolved over centuries.
Eye Contact and Respect: The Ritual of the Toast
In Scandinavia, raising a glass is an exercise in mindful connection. The traditional skål requires participants to lift their glasses, make direct eye contact with their companions, take a sip, and meet eyes once more before lowering the glass. This deliberate, level gaze communicates sincerity, equality and friendship.
In contrast, toasting at a Chinese banquet emphasises harmony, mutual respect and the continuous flow of reciprocity. It is customary to slightly lower the rim of one's glass below that of an elder or an honoured guest to show deference. Every clink of the glass and shared greeting weaves a visible thread of connection. Despite their different forms, both traditions encourage guests to sip in moderation, ensuring that everyone at the table feels included and warmly received.
Botanicals and Daqu: Expressions of Terroir
The contrasting craft behind each spirit highlights two different approaches to flavour. Aquavit is typically distilled from grain or potatoes and then infused with botanicals such as caraway or dill. This method captures the crisp, herbaceous essence of the Nordic landscape, bottling the sensation of cool forests and sea breezes.
Chinese strong-aroma baijiu, on the other hand, is a masterpiece of earth and time. At the Qifu distillery in Mianzhu, Sichuan—a region historically celebrated for its fine spirits and glacier-fed springs—the family follows ancient solid-state fermentation methods. A blend of five grains is fermented with daqu in yellow-mud pits that host over a thousand species of microbes. After about 60 days of fermentation and careful distillation in a traditional zeng still, the spirit develops a lingering sweetness and rich pit aroma entirely naturally, without any added flavourings. This slow, careful process, overseen by a master blender, ensures that each drop reflects the unique terroir of the region.
A Toast Across Oceans
Ultimately, a spirit's true character is revealed through the food it accompanies. The clean, botanical notes of aquavit famously cut through the richness of Nordic pickled herring or smoked salmon. Meanwhile, the full-bodied complexity of baijiu finds perfect balance alongside rich, savoury or spicy Chinese dishes.
Today, these two ancient drinking cultures occasionally meet at the same table, bridging the culinary divide between East and West. As an export bottling of Qifu baijiu, Shun Tun (a 500 ml, 52% vol strong-aroma spirit) is now listed at Systembolaget in Sweden. When this pure grain spirit from the foot of the Longmen Mountains appears at a dinner in Stockholm, the host may discover a beautiful parallel. Though the glass holds the earthy aromas and caramel-like finish of a Sichuan fermentation pit, the desire to share warmth, open hearts and celebrate the moment remains exactly the same.
