China has countless variety of these liquor from different regions. Amongst them the most famous is the Maotai 茅台 that was made famous (and expensive) by Nixon's visit to China circa 1972.
Today Maotai 茅台 sold for about $200 USD here and 25% to 50% more in China. There are complaints in China the high officials and wealthy businessmen who dine and wine not on their own dimes has driven this liquor to unreachable by common folks. Before Nixon's visit while it is well regarded, the price was significantly more affordable. It is now a status symbol for luxury dinning there, and for export. Maotai 茅台 is a brand which distills in Guizhou 貴州. Because of the inflated high price informed consumers would find brands from other distillers at fractions of the price with very similar taste and profile.
In the past acceptable quality of these shaojiu are non-existent in most US cities. In recent years they are imported and sold in cities with big Chinese populations. If you look hard you may find them in liquor stores in or near Chinatowns in cities such as San Francisco, Vancouver, LA, NYC, and Oakland. In my recent trips to Vancouver BC and San Francisco I had varied success shopping for them. My best hunting was in Oakland Chinatown.
In the West these 燒酒 earns remarks like "rocket fuel" or "drain cleaner" due mainly to their typical high alcohol content (50% or more) and their common characteristic odor or edge. Most of them are distilled with grains like rice, sorghum, glutinous rice, wheat, or corn. For many it is an acquired taste.
In my recent trips to China I made the point of experiencing a big variety. My relative's very generous friend who brought a few bottles of Maotai 茅台 to a dinner a couple of times. In a business trip to Dalian I also tasted one limited edition with 80% alcohol content. Our hosts were extremely hospitable and we had many good meals. This special edition is only available to high officials and managements of the state-own enterprise that produces media players which happens to also own a liquor distillery. Needless to say with such high alcohol content you can only drink a few shots and it burns your throat quickly.
BTW, China also produce some very good wines though they are hard to find except in cities frequent by high ranking officials like Dalian, Beijing and Shanghai.
Here are some of my recent found in trips to Vancouver, BC and Oakland, CA.
五粮醇 (translate as 5 grain distill) 50%
I found this in Oakland
origin: Sichuan 四川
taste: very good and tastes very much like Maotai 茅台
紅星 二鍋头 (2nd from left in photo; translated as Red Star 2 wok head probably because it is distilled twice) 56%
origin: Beijing 北京
I found this in Phoenix, AZ, Vancouver, BC, and Oakland, CA
I encountered this while in Beijing last winter (yes what were I thinking for visiting Beijing in Winter). It is the quintessential blue collar's drink. You can find in every neighborhood grocery stores and affordable eateries. The laborer seating in the next table after a hard day's work may be drinking off a pocket size bottle which sold for only a few Renminbi 人民幣 (people's money - Yaun). I didn't taste it until one trip to Phoenix AZ and I was so surprised that how good it is despite it's low domestic prices. At 56% it definitely has the bang for the buck.
尖庄 50%
origin: Sichuan 四川
According to the label it is also distilled from 5 grains and it tastes very similar to 五粮醇 above, hence Maotai 茅台 also. It is very good.
I found this in Oakland, CA
永豐玉 (this it the brand; right most in above picture) 五加皮 (this is the Chinese name of this liquor but I am hard pressed to come up with a meaningful translation)
I found this in Oakland, CA
It has a classic traditional packaging and container for this liquor. I remember from childhood that it has a slight brownish tint and a very potent taste and pungent fragrance. I only bought one and being such beautiful bottle I have not try it and may not for a long time.
origin: Hong Kong
紹ｆ興 (Shoxing - a city in Zhejiang province; left most in above picture) 花彫洒 (this is the name for this distill) 17%
origin: Shoxing
I found this in Vancouver, BC and in Oakland, CA
This distill is famous across China and is used commonly to prepare high quality cuisine. I found this in Oakland and Vancouver. Unlike the cheap cooking variety in some Asian grocery store this is much higher quality. I also tasted high quality one too from Taiwan while in Yokohama Chinatown. It extremely unlikely even in the best of Chinese restaurant in the US you would taste dish that is prepared with this "wine". While it is referred to as wine due to it's relatively low alcohol content I believe it is a liquor. One famous dish that may be prepared with it is drunken chicken. It is also used frequently for cooking good banquets in the hay days of Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong and Guangzhou (circa 20+ year ago).
Like many western liquor, Chinese Liquor are priced by their quality, and the duration of aging. Wal Mart stores across Chinese cities are best place to find excellent selections of them. I always seek out Wal Mart stores now whenever I visit a city in China.
For the very brave, you can buy shaojiu 燒酒 in bulk from a vendor who sell them off the clay containers in the open produce market. I did this once in Beijing and it was so cheap. The vendor typically has a few grades of each type and would sell them to you by weight in a clear plastic container.
For best in depth write up of shaojiu I recommend this page on wikipedia.
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