The Luzhou Laojiao Guojiao 1573 - a flagship baijiu quietly gaining global attention

Luzhou Laojiao Guojiao 1573 is a high-end strong-aroma baijiu built around historic pit cellars from the Ming dynasty and now marketed as a premium spirit in duty free and select overseas channels. Anyone holding Luzhou Laojiao stock (SSE-SZSE: 000568, ISIN CNE000000W52) should know this product.

By Daniel Foster, ad hoc news Bestsellers & Flagships Desk. Reviewed July 06, 2026, 7:23 PM ET. Details in the imprint.

Luzhou Laojiao Guojiao 1573 sits in a heavy, pale-gold bottle that catches the light when you slide it out of its red presentation box, the aroma hitting your nose with a mix of fermented grain and a faint sweetness before you even pour a splash into the glass. For US travelers, this is increasingly the Luzhou Laojiao label they see behind airport duty-free counters, positioned next to top-shelf Scotch and cognac. It is not yet something you grab at a neighborhood liquor store in Ohio, but it is a name that frequent flyers and spirits investors are starting to recognize.

What Guojiao 1573 actually is

Guojiao 1573 is Luzhou Laojiao’s flagship strong-aroma baijiu, built around a mash fermented in clay pit cellars that the company says date back to 1573 during China’s Ming dynasty. The brand leans heavily on that historical claim; the so-called "National Cellar 1573" has become Luzhou Laojiao’s core identity for its high-end segment.

On the official English-language site, Luzhou Laojiao describes the National Cellar 1573 line as a premium baijiu produced with high-quality sorghum and water from the Yangtze River, fermented with a proprietary starter culture in those aged underground pits. The Guojiao 1573 expression typically comes bottled at around 52 to 53 percent alcohol by volume, putting it well above standard Western spirits and directly in line with traditional Sichuan strong-aroma baijiu labels.

How it tastes and how it’s made

On a tasting level, Guojiao 1573 falls into what Chinese spirits drinkers call "???" – strong-aroma – which usually means a thick, layered nose of fermented grains, tropical fruit esters and a savory backbone. Professional tasting notes published in Chinese trade media describe a pronounced aroma, slightly sweet palate and a lingering finish, with the brand positioned for banquet and gifting occasions rather than casual sipping.

Production details for Guojiao 1573 are not broken out bottle-by-bottle on the English website, but Luzhou Laojiao’s general process is well documented: sorghum is steamed, cooled and mixed with yeast and fermented grains, then sealed into aged mud cellars where it ferments for extended cycles before being distilled, blended and aged. The company emphasizes the continuity of these pits as a heritage asset, arguing that microbial communities built over centuries contribute to the spirit’s flavor.

Availability and pricing outside China

For US consumers, the reality is that Guojiao 1573 is mostly a travel and specialty-store product, not a mainstream grocery-aisle bottle. Major US retailers do not list it widely, but duty-free operators and niche liquor importers have begun carrying the National Cellar 1573 series, often positioning it at price points comparable to high-end Scotch and cognac. That places it in a discovery category for American drinkers who are curious about baijiu but willing to pay for a premium first encounter.

On Chinese e-commerce platforms, Guojiao 1573 sits firmly in the mid-to-high price band for baijiu: listings commonly show standard 500 ml bottles in the 800-1,000 yuan range, with special editions running higher. That roughly translates to triple-digit US-dollar pricing once shipping, import markups and taxes are factored in, which matches the premium image Luzhou Laojiao aims to project.

Why Luzhou Laojiao cares about this brand

Inside Luzhou Laojiao, Guojiao 1573 is not just another label; it is a strategic brand that anchors the company’s premiumization push. Company executives, including chairman Wang Hongbo and other senior managers quoted in Chinese-language annual reports, have repeatedly highlighted National Cellar 1573 as a core driver of margins and brand equity. High-end baijiu brands in China capture disproportionate profitability, and Guojiao 1573 sits in that high-value tier.

For investors, this matters because Luzhou Laojiao operates in a domestic market that is increasingly segmented by price and brand status. Premium names like Guojiao 1573 give the company more pricing power and insulation from short-term volume swings than lower-end labels. Sell-through in banquet, corporate gifting and luxury retail channels is closely watched by analysts covering Chinese spirits, even if detailed volume data for specific SKUs like Guojiao 1573 is not publicly broken out.

US investor angle on a domestic Chinese flagship

Luzhou Laojiao is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and English-language investor materials on its site frame the company as a leading producer of strong-aroma baijiu with a portfolio that spans high-end, mid-range and entry-level products. Guojiao 1573, as part of the National Cellar 1573 family, sits at the very top of that structure. While direct US distribution remains limited, the brand’s visibility in duty free channels and select overseas markets signals that Luzhou Laojiao is comfortable placing its top label on an international stage.

For holders of Luzhou Laojiao stock (SSE-SZSE: 000568, ISIN CNE000000W52), Guojiao 1573 is best understood as a flagship that supports the company’s pricing narrative and premium image rather than a mass-market volume engine. The bottle that gleams behind an airport bar in Singapore or a specialty store in London is, in practical terms, a glass ambassador for the value investors hope Luzhou Laojiao can sustain.

Key facts at a glance

• Product: Luzhou Laojiao Guojiao 1573
• Manufacturer: Luzhou Laojiao Co., Ltd.
• Category: Bestseller / flagship baijiu (strong-aroma Chinese spirit)
• Launch: Developed as part of the National Cellar 1573 flagship line, built on pit cellars dating to 1573 (Ming dynasty)
• MSRP / Price: Typically around 800-1,000 CNY for a 500 ml bottle in China; overseas retail prices often translate to mid-triple-digit USD after import costs
• Availability: Widely available in mainland China via retail and e-commerce; selectively available overseas in duty free, specialty liquor stores and some high-end bars
• Target audience: Baijiu drinkers seeking a premium strong-aroma spirit for banquets, gifting or collection; international spirits enthusiasts curious about high-end Chinese baijiu
• Standout / USP: Positioned around centuries-old clay pit cellars and the "National Cellar 1573" heritage story, with high ABV and a strong-aroma flavor profile

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information is provided without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Securities trading carries risks up to total loss.