Where East Meets West: SHĀNG Redefines the Future of Spirits

Where East Meets West: SHĀNG Redefines the Future of Spirits

A groundbreaking international collaboration blending ancient Chinese baijiu tradition with American whiskey craftsmanship

ELIZABETHTOWN, KY (JUNE 15, 2026)  Creating a spirit born of two worlds, an international partnership is blending two of the oldest and largest spirits categories. Eastern culture meets the West in the new SHĀNG baijiu-whiskey line, an innovative spirit inspired by 5,000 years of Chinese baijiu heritage and modern American whiskey craftsmanship.

Rooted in the concept of transformation, SHĀNG is a sauce-aroma (jiàngxiāng pronounced jong-shong) baijiu refined through American whiskey craftsmanship, creating a new cross-cultural category the brand calls jiàngxiāng whiskey. Born in China's Chìshuǐ River basin and matured in Kentucky, it bridges two of the world's most historic distillation traditions in a single bottle.

The foundation for SHĀNG consists of red sorghum from the Chìshuǐ River basin, selected for its resilience through repeated steaming and fermentation. Its structure and tannin content are unlocked through solid-state fermentation to create the depth and savory complexity that defines jiàng-aroma baijiu. After distillation and aging in traditional clay pots in China, SHĀNG is redistilled to a whiskey base, matured in American oak, and blended in Kentucky to ensure continuity across each release.

SHĀNG is produced by Maritine Brands, a joint venture between True Essence Foods and Guìzhōu Guótái Shùzhì Liquor Group, and in partnership with Whiskey House of Kentucky and The Blending House. SHĀNG's portfolio will debut with two products:

SHĀNG Dàn Yǎ (pronounced dahn-yah) is SHĀNG's first expression. All expressions share the same jiàngxiāng whiskey foundation; time in American oak defines the distinction. Dàn Yǎ rests in charred American oak barrels for a minimum of one month and up to just under one year, creating balance between fermentation depth and wood structure.

SHĀNG East + West Kentucky Blend marries SHĀNG’s jiàngxiāng whiskey with a proprietary American red sorghum whiskey and ages the spirit in charred American oak barrels in Kentucky. The result is a globally inspired spirit that redefines expectations and presents a groundbreaking expression to the world stage.

"SHĀNG represents the future of global spirits innovation," said Maritine Brands CEO Matt Rubin. "By bringing together centuries-old Chinese fermentation techniques with the precision and structure of American whiskey-making, we are creating something entirely new — an authentic collaboration of cultures, craftsmanship, and creativity."

"Whiskey House was created to enable exactly this type of innovation," said Whiskey House of Kentucky co-founder and CEO David Mandell. "SHĀNG is a powerful example of what's possible when world-class partners come together with a shared vision. We're proud to play a role in bringing this entirely new category of spirits to life."

The collaboration highlights the strength of an international partnership spanning continents and expertise. Guìzhōu Guótái Shùzhì Liquor Group contributes deep heritage and mastery in baijiu production; precision blending, aging, and bottling are provided by The Blending House for scalability across global markets. The proprietary American red sorghum grain whiskey is distilled at Whiskey House of Kentucky's state-of-the-art facilities.

"The unparalleled craft of dual-brewing and dual-aging defines the unique character of SHĀNG," said Yán Kǎijìng, Chairman of Guìzhōu Guótái Shùzhì Liquor Group. "It embraces the classic Western liquid-state fermentation technique, integrates the millennia-old art of Chinese solid-state iàngxiāng brewing, nurtured through slow aging in ceramic jars and refined by maturation in American oak barrels, letting the timeless brewing and distilling wisdom of both worlds blend flawlessly in every bottle."

"We could not be prouder to add our team's incredible expertise to the SHĀNG brand," said The Blending House founder and CEO Monica Wolf Brown. "SHĀNG is a transformational spirit that pushes boundaries and brings a new level of innovation to the art of whiskey blending and finishing."

Designed for modern consumers and global occasions, SHĀNG symbolizes the convergence of East and West — where baijiu anchors celebration and whiskey marks achievement — creating a spirit intended for meaningful connection and shared experience.

SHĀNG's debut expression, Dàn Yǎ, delivers a complex sensory profile featuring floral aromatics, umami depth, and a long, warming finish, alongside notes of fruit, chocolate, and baking spice, and is bottled at 100 proof. The second expression, East + West Kentucky Blend, further enhances accessibility with a softer, rounder profile featuring vanilla, toasted grain, and caramel notes derived from the red sorghum whiskey and is bottled at 92 proof.

Starting June 15, SHĀNG Dàn Yǎ and SHĀNG East + West Kentucky Blend will be available for pre-order online in a special launch bundle, with direct shipping to 42 states. SHĀNG Dàn Yǎ (50% ABV) will be available at an SRP of $64.99 for 500 mL and $15.99 for 50 mL, while SHĀNG East + West Kentucky Blend (46% ABV) will be available at an SRP of $45.99 for 500 mL and $13.99 for 50 mL.

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About Maritine Brands

SHĀNG is produced by Maritine Brands, a joint venture between True Essence, LLC, and Guìzhōu Guótái Shùzhì Liquor Group Co. Maritine Brands develops, manufactures, and commercializes SHĀNG for global markets, building a scalable premium spirit's platform rooted in heritage, innovation, and international growth.

About True Essence Foods

True Essence Foods (TEF) provides state-of-the-art food and beverage processing solutions and new product launch support. Based in Indianapolis, IN, TEF offers proprietary pressure filtration and formulation solutions to reduce off-spec flavors and improve overall batch consistency of new-make and aged spirits.

About Guìzhōu Guótái Shùzhì Liquor Group

Founded by the Tasly Health Industry Group, Guìzhōu Guótái Shùzhì Liquor Group is the second-largest distillery in Máotái Town. It operates five production facilities with an annual capacity of 56,000 tons and maintains an inventory of 100,000 tons of base liquor. Guótái has invested heavily in "intelligent brewing," creating China's first intelligent distillation standard system for sauce-aroma baijiu.

About Whiskey House of Kentucky

Whiskey House of Kentucky is the most advanced distillery in the United States, designed from the ground up to provide the highest-quality, customized American whiskey for the most discerning brands in the industry. By incorporating best practices, programs, and state-of-the-art technology from advanced food manufacturing and applying them to distilling, Whiskey House delivers unparalleled quality, unmatched flexibility in customization, and the ability to test and scale innovation projects for the best spirits companies in the world.

About The Blending House

The Blending House is a spirits production facility in Kentucky designed exclusively to support post-distillation needs. By integrating state-of-the-art barrel maturation, blending, and custom bottling capabilities within a single, centralized location, spirits brands can operate efficiently and scale with confidence. As the global spirits market evolves, The Blending House serves as a strategic partner across R&D, production, and logistics for domestic and international brands seeking reliable, high-quality delivery to market.