Confucius Family Liquor Ziyue Guochao Edition from Qufu Confucius Family Liquor Brewery won the "Best of 2025″ at the Korea Wine & Spirits Awards EXPO on the 9th.
Confucius Family Liquor Ziyue Guochao Edition is a Baijiu that harmoniously blends four traditional Chinese fragrance types: Nongxiang (Strong Aroma), Qingxiang (Light Aroma), Jiangxiang (Soy Sauce Aroma), and Zhixiang (Rice Aroma). It has an alcohol content of 52%. The liquor is crafted by blending 90% base liquor aged for 7 to 18 years with 10% Jiangxiang-style Confucius Family Liquor aged for 8 years.
Located in Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, this distillery spans over 70,000 square meters, boasting an extensive facility. The fermentation process takes place over 120 days at low temperatures in more than 7,200 underground pits, refining the spirit's deep and complex flavors. The name "Ziyue" originates from The Analects of Confucius, meaning "Confucius said," while "Guochao Edition" signifies a modern reinterpretation of traditional Chinese culture.
This liquor was officially recognized in September 2001 as one of China's "Top 10 Cultural Liquors." It is also designated as an intangible cultural heritage of Shandong Province, affirming its cultural and historical significance.
The Korea Wine & Spirits Awards is the leading liquor evaluation event in Korea, celebrating its 12th anniversary this year. It has been held annually since 2014 by ChosunBiz with the goal of "discovering and widely promoting good domestic liquor and supporting the formation of a healthy liquor culture."
This year's event featured 236 companies showcasing a total of 1,008 brands, making it the largest liquor evaluation in Korea dealing with comprehensive liquor. Among these, 431 brands received the grand award. Of the award-winning entries, the 25 brands that received the highest scores in their categories were selected for the top award, "Best of Best 2025."