A dark, strongly sour vinegar brewed mainly from sorghum and aged for months; its fermenting grains are smoked, giving it a rich, roasted aroma. In Shanxi, where it is made, it is part of everyday cooking.
山西老陈醋 (Shanxi mature vinegar) is one of China's four famous vinegars, aged for a year or more and dark brown in color. The other three: 镇江香醋 (Zhenjiang), 保宁醋 (Sichuan), 永春老醋 (Fujian).