V.I.P Jiu 8 Baijiu Cocktails: The Eight Immortals (Ba Xian)

It is Saturday night and you are having a couple of friends around for drinks. You want to relax, but also show of your skills, so instead of making individual cocktails, make the immortals jug. I have put together eight different combinations, which are guaranteed to get the evening off to a good start. First you will need a 1 litre glass jug and a long spoon for stirring, a measuring jug, serving glasses and of course the ingredients.

The Eight Immortals – Made With V.I.P Jiu 8

1) Zhong Li Quan

Zhongli Quan is considered to be the official leader of the Ba Xian and is one of the most ancient immortals. He was once an army general during the Han Dynasty. According to legend, bright beams of light filled the labour room during his birth.

Put 12 ice cubes into a litre jug
Add 90 ml of sugar syrup
270 ml of V.I.P Jiu 8 Baijiu
180 ml of white sparkling wine
Top with tangerine and mango clear sparkling water
Garnish with mint leaves,
Will serve 6 drinks, each containing 6 fl oz

2) Cao Guo Jiu

Cao Guojiu or “Royal Uncle Cao” is the uncle of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty and one of the Eight Immortals. His brother was an infamous bully who abused his connections (their father was a powerful military general) and was allowed to get away with various crimes including murder. Cao warned his brother that although he could escape the laws of humanity, he could not escape the laws of heaven.

Put 12 ice cubes into a litre jug
45 ml of coconut milk
45 ml of white chocolate syrup
270 ml of V.I.P Jiu 8 Baijiu
180 ml of sparkling babycham
Top with pineapple and coconut clear sparkling water
Garnish with pineapple pieces,
Will serve 6 drinks, each containing 6 fl oz

3) Han Xiang

Han Xiang Zi was born during the Tang Dynasty as a nephew of a famous writer and statesman named Han Yu. Han Xiang was taught the ways of Taoism by an immortal named Lu Dongbin, when he was just a teenager. His uncle was entrusted with educating young Han Xiang in the ways of Confucianism but he was adamant on pursuing Taoism and the ways of the immortals.

Put 12 ice cubes into a litre jug
Add 90 of ml red watermelon syrup
270 ml of V.I.P Jiu 8 Baijiu
180 ml of red sparkling wine
Top with watermelon clear sparkling water
Garnish with watermelon cubes,
Will serve 6 drinks, each containing 6 fl oz

4) Hexian Gu Zi

The only female Immortal, He Xian-Gu lived as a hermit in the mountains during the Tang dynasty. When she was fourteen, she was visited by a spirit who told her the secret to immortality.

Put 12 ice cubes into a litre jug
Add 90 of ml blue raspberry syrup
270 ml of V.I.P Jiu 8 Baijiu
180 ml of white sparkling prosecco
Top with orange and peach clear sparkling water
Garnish with raspberry’s,
Will serve 6 drinks, each containing 6 fl oz

5) Lan Cai He

Lan Caihe is the most bizarre and least known of the Eight Immortals. He is depicted as a sexually ambiguous beggar of unknown age. Although often shown as either a young boy or young girl carrying a flower basket, he is also sometimes depicted as an old man wearing ragged blue robes.

Put 12 ice cubes into a litre jug
Add 90 of ml green watermelon syrup
270 ml of V.I.P Jiu 8 Baijiu
180 ml of asti spumante
Top with white grape clear sparkling water
Garnish with lime slices,
Will serve 6 drinks, each containing 6 fl oz

6) Lu Dongbin

Lu Dongbin is one of the most recognized and revered of the Ba Xian. He is considered to be one of the first masters of the Neidan or internal alchemy. Lu is also a historical figure mentioned in the scholarly text – the History of Song.

Put 12 ice cubes into a litre jug
Add 90 of ml orange syrup
270 ml of V.I.P Jiu 8 Baijiu
180 ml of pink sparkling moscato
Top with mandarin orange clear sparkling water
Garnish with slices of orange,
Will serve 6 drinks, each containing 6 fl oz

7) Taiguai

Of the Eight Immortals, Li Tai Guai (or “Iron Crutch Li”) is the most ancient character. He was born during the Han Dynasty. He was taught by Lao Tzu, who was the founder of Taoism, and Hsi Wang Mu, a Taoist Goddess. Legend has it that Li was so devoted to practising meditation that he often forgot to eat and sleep. He is known to have a short temper and abrasive personality but he also shows benevolence and compassion for the poor, sick and needy.

Put 12 ice cubes into a litre jug
Add 90 of ml cola syrup
270 ml of V.I.P Jiu 8 Baijiu
180 ml of lambrini bianco
Top with diet coke
Garnish with cherries
Will serve 6 drinks, each containing 6fl oz

8) Zhang Guo Lao

Zhang Guo Lao or “Elder Zhang Guo” is one of the Eight Immortals. He was a real historical figure who was born around 7th Century AD. Zhang Guo was a Taoist Fangshi (Occultist-Alchemist) who lived as a hermit in the Zhongtiao Mountains in the Heng Prefecture during the Tang Dynasty. By the time of Empress Wu Zetian’s reign, he was a 100 years old.