This goes hand in hand with the "avoiding ganbei" thread.

Baijui IS gross. As is the ganbei routine. I think the reason for this is more genetic actually. 90% of Westerners possess a gene that breaks down alcohol. 90% of Asians do not. Now I don't know the evolutionary reasons for that (maybe someone else does), but it does mean that in the west, strong spirits have evolved and become more refined. We drink them over a longer period, savour the taste, and can handle consumption of alcohol spread out over an entire evening.

Accordingly, if we're going to be drinking booze for several hours, it'd better taste good. And expensive whiskies, brandies and whatever else certainly do ! In China however, matters are rather different. The Chinese drink - specifically to get drunk. Ganbei-ing, all that liquor goes straight to the head, faces turn red, eyes water and suddenly they start getting carried out of the room, semi-concious. You don't need a particularly refined liquor to do that, if the aim is to prove machismo or friendship when the stated goal is oblivion.

However I would have to also concede that the art of drinking specifically to get spectacualy plastered, Chinese style, is far more deliberately macho than sipping a whisky over several hours is.