For this collection, we have paired Sichuan's finest handcrafted soy sauce with the pinnacle of the province's aged vinegars. Both are China Time-Honored Brands that have been made for hundreds of years, and both are the top expressions of their company's craft.
Outside China these sauces are exclusive to The Mala Market, and even within China they are very small batch and difficult to procure. That's because both are still made the traditional way, fermented in large earthenware crocks. In the case of Zhongba Handcrafted Soy Sauce, the crocks are exposed to the air and hand-stirred daily for a full year. In the case of Baoning 20-Year Vinegar, the young vinegar is fermented in crocks with 20 years of microbial growth. Both of these time-tested methods imbue the sauces with the inimitable taste of the local terroir over a long period of all-natural fermentation.
No shortcuts are taken, and no stray ingredients or preservatives are added.
What's Included
Zhongba Handcrafted Soy Sauce, 24 oz
This impressively large bottle of soy sauce is naturally brewed for one full year, far longer than most commercial soy sauces. It is completely handmade following a centuries-old process that includes stirring it daily by hand as it ages.
Handcrafted Zhongba soy sauce is naturally brewed in clay crocks from non-GMO soybeans, wheat, salt and water. The crocks are left uncovered during the day, exposing the sauce to sunlight, seasonal temperature changes and the native microbial environment of Sichuan. These conditions shape the final flavor, contributing subtle variation and depth—an effect similar to terroir in wine.
As a finishing touch, a prized wild mushroom from northern China is infused in the sauce, contributing its natural glutamic acid (though not a pronounced mushroom flavor). The result is a deep-red soy sauce with full body and mouthfeel, a compellingly rich aroma, and a complex flavor that is so much more than salty. We invite you to do a taste test with this soy sauce and any other you can find to understand the difference a long, natural brewing process and 200 years of experience make.
20 Year Baoning Handcrafted Black Vinegar, 17 oz
Sichuan's Baoning vinegar is one of the Four Famous Vinegars of China, with a history of more than 1,000 years. It is a deeply flavorful and mildly acidic vinegar, with a mellow aftertaste.
Baoning is unique among China's four famous vinegars in being an herbal vinegar. It is called so because its qu, or fermentation starter, is made from more than 20 herbs and spices used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It does not taste herbal, but it does have a distinctly bright, savory taste and is less sweet than its fellow famous vinegars. It has a bill of six grains, and the lead grain is wheat bran.
Baoning’s aged vinegars (vs. its young, mass market version found in Chinese supermarkets) are fully handcrafted and maintain ancient brewing techniques requiring 42 procedures.
This very small-batch 20-year Baoning is the most complex and fullest bodied the company makes. Like the handmade soy sauce, it is not for stir-frying or high-heat cooking but is best used for cold dishes, dipping sauces and noodle topping.
Use links above to see individual products on this site for more description of each one, including ingredients and nutrition facts.
If this is a gift, know that our shipments do not include any pricing info. The collection is packaged with red tissue paper and a product storage and usage guide.
History + Honors
Both Zhongba soy sauce and Baoning vinegar are designated China Time-Honored Brands. That means they have been in operation at least 50 years, though both trace their founding story and lineage back centuries.
These brands also have protected Geographic Indication, meaning their places of origin heavily impact their taste and authenticity. These branded products can be made only in the places of origin. Zhongba is a district of Jiangyou, a city in northern Sichuan that is part of Mianyang, and Baoning is the prior name of Langzhong, which is part of greater Nanchong.
Compare To
Unlike supermarket brands, these are premium, artisan-made sauces. While the companies make versions of these products for the mass market, the sauces here represent the small-batch, handcrafted version of their products, made with heritage production techniques.
Storage
Soy sauce and vinegar are shelf-stable and can be stored in a cool, dark pantry. They do not require refrigeration but can be refrigerated to extend peak freshness.
Allergens
Products in this collection include soybean and wheat.
Both sauces are all natural, with no additives or preservatives. See individual product pages for a complete listing of ingredients and nutrition facts.
