New baijiu cocktails will be served at around 16 exclusive London bars and restaurants including Bó Drake, Casino at The Empire in Leicester Square, Gong at Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London, Hakkasan, Hutong at The Shard, Ping Pong Dim Sum, Salvatore’s Bar at The Playboy Club London plus Spice Market. I was at Opium, a very sexy drinking den channelling the decadence of ’20s Shanghai, that perches in the attics above Chinatown’s mains drag Gerrard St.

Opium’s baijiu cocktail “Born on the Baijiu” was a blend of a sweet oriental fruit juice with the plum wine flavoured alcoholic burn of the baijiu. It’s not the most subtle spirit on the planet but it would stand up to the rigours of Sichuan or Hunanese cuisine admirably.

The Chinese like to sink shots of baijiu in one, saying ‘Yum Sing’ (Cantonese) or ‘Gan Bai’ (Mandarin). You might find that it’s a bit strong for that but it’s definitely worth trying out and any excuse for cocktails is a good one!