A crackdown on Chinese officials' lavish spending has affected domestic sales of baijiu, a customary drink at banquets and a common luxury gift. Chinese producers still are smarting from the loss of sales and have now set their sights on Western drinkers, said the US media recently.

Baijiu which literally means “white liquor” in Chinese, is a type of super-strong booze distilled usually from sorghum, and other grains as well and it remains one of the most-consumed liquors on earth.

According to International Wine & Spirit Research, baijiu accounts for more than a third of all spirits consumed globally. But there remains little thirst for it outside of China.

In 2015, Lumos, the first Baijiu bar, opened in Manhattan of New York City. Orson Salicetti, bartender and co-founder said: "The first time I tried baijiu was after the summer of 2008. Some friends of mine from New York had gone to the Olympic Games and brought back a few bottles that we tried together and my first impression of it was very overwhelming. It’s a high proof spirit with a strong flavor and aroma."

According to Salicetti, his bar sells more than 40 baijiu brands now and he is still adding more to the list. Almost all Chinese popular bajiu brands such as Wuliangye and Wuliang Chun Jiu; Luzhou Laojiao and Luzhou Laojiao Zisha; Jiannanchun; Xifengjiu; Jianzhuang; HKB; Shui Jing Fang can be tasted in Lumos.

Even it's still a long way for the Americans to love the Chinese firewater whose sharp, pungent odor brings tears to eyes, Salicetti feels cautiously optimistic about the future for baijiu in the U.S. "All we can do is to keep drinking it and educating people on it," he said.