Moutai liquor

Moutai liquor

Moutai liquor is a product protected by a geographical indication.

　　　　Moutai liquor is one of the famous local specialties of Renhuai. It is produced in Maotai Town, Renhuai City, located in the middle reaches of the Chishui River, and is a quintessential representative of China’s sauce-flavor Baijiu. According to *Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of the Southern Barbarians*, in 135 BC, the Han envoy Tang Meng was sent on a mission to Nanyue, where he presented the "Goujiang" liquor produced in what is now the Maotai area to Emperor Wu of Han, who after tasting it, repeatedly praised it as “sweet and delicious.” The renowned Qing Dynasty scholar Zheng Zhen also left behind the famous verse “Moutai wine reigns over the land of Guizhou.” In 1915, Moutai liquor won the gold medal at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition, and has consistently ranked first in national liquor evaluations ever since. In 1996, it once again claimed the top Special Gold Award at the 80th Anniversary Evaluation of the Panama–Pacific International Exposition held in the United States. The Kweichow Moutai Distillery (Group) Co., Ltd. has grown from a small workshop in the early days of liberation into a large-scale national liquor enterprise with assets of 1.3 billion yuan, over 3,000 employees, an annual production of over 4,000 tons of Moutai liquor, and tax contributions exceeding 300 million yuan. It has made significant contributions to the economic development of Guizhou and China’s light industry.

　　The Moutai Distillery is located six kilometers northwest of Renhuai City in Guizhou Province, in Maotai Town. It sits on the east bank of the Chishui River, beneath Hanpoling Mountain and on the slopes of Ma’an Mountain. Surrounded by mountains and situated near water, it lies at an elevation of 450 meters and is a strategic transportation hub for both land and water routes between Sichuan and Guizhou. The town is located in the northwestern part of the Guizhou Plateau, on the northern side of the western section of the Dalou Mountains. It borders the historic city of Zunyi to the east and the southern region of Sichuan to the south. The Chishui River shipping route runs through the entire area, while the Renlin, Maodan, Maoxi, and Zunmao highways converge here, making it an important junction connecting Sichuan and Guizhou, as well as linking the historic city of Zunyi and the national scenic area of Chishui. The town covers a total area of 87.2 square kilometers, with an urban area of 1.7 square kilometers and a total population of 42,000 (including 16,000 in the urban area). Maotai Town has long been a renowned town in northern Guizhou. In ancient times, it was described vividly as “Sichuan salt travels to Guizhou, and merchants from Qin gather in Maotai.” The liquor industry thrives here, and in 1935, during the Long March, the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army crossed the Chishui River three times in Maotai, writing a magnificent chapter in the history of the Chinese revolution. Maotai Town combines profound ancient salt culture, the radiant legacy of the Long March, and the mysterious culture of liquor, earning it the title “China’s No. 1 Liquor Town” and the homeland of Moutai liquor.

　　Moutai liquor is made from locally grown high-quality glutinous sorghum, using wheat to produce high-temperature fermentation starter, with more starter used than raw material. The use of a large amount of starter, long fermentation periods, multiple fermentations, and repeated distillations are unique processes that are key reasons behind Moutai’s distinctive style and superior quality. Producing Moutai involves two feedings of grain, nine rounds of steaming, eight rounds of airing and starter addition (seven rounds of fermentation), and seven rounds of distillation. The production cycle lasts a full year, followed by over three years of aging, blending and adjusting, then another year of storage to enhance harmony, aroma, smoothness, and richness—only then is it bottled and released. The entire production process takes nearly five years.

　　Moutai liquor is the most exemplary and perfectly styled sauce-flavor Daqu liquor, hence the term “sauce-flavor” is also known as “Moutai-flavor.” Its liquor is crystal clear and slightly yellowish, with a prominent sauce aroma that is intoxicating. Even before drinking, the aroma wafts from the open cup; when sipped heartily, it fills the mouth with fragrance. After drinking, the empty cup retains an even stronger and longer-lasting scent. The taste is elegant and delicate, the body full-bodied and mellow, with a long-lasting aftertaste and enduring Moutai fragrance. The pure, transparent, and richly aromatic qualities of Moutai liquor come from the fusion of three unique flavor profiles: sauce aroma, cellar bottom aroma, and sweet mellow aroma. It is known to contain over 300 different aromatic compounds. The alcohol content is 53%. Marshal Chen Yi once wrote: “Reuniting in Nanjing, we drink Moutai, / Having washed our feet from the Long March afar. / Deep thanks for the poetic tales you’ve shared, / I’ll drink a cup while snow weighs down the south.”