Maotai, or Moutai (), is a style of baijiu made in the Chinese town of Maotai in Guizhou province. Maotai is made from sorghum, a wheat-based qū, and water from the Chishui River. It uses traditional Chinese techniques of fermentation, distillation, and aging, to produce a spirit with a nutty, grainy, and savory aroma and flavor.
The most famous and best-selling brand of Maotai is produced by Kweichow Moutai, which has become the most valuable spirits brand worldwide. However, despite common misconceptions, Kweichow Moutai is not the only producer of Maotai, nor do they own any exclusive right to the name. To be classified as Maotai, it must be produced in the eponymous town and follow regulated production guidelines.
History
Alcohol production in Zunyi, on the banks of the Chishui River, has a long history dating back to at least the 1st and 2nd centuries BCE where there is record of Han dynasty Emperor Wu tasting and praising a goqijiu produced in Yelang. However, it was not until the Tang and Song dynasties that grain-based distilled alcohols began to develop in China as a whole.
The origins of Maotai itself, and the distilleries that preceded Kweichow Moutai, lie in the Qing dynasty after 1644. Beijing officials of the salt monopoly were stationed at an outpost in Maotai. They introduced baijiu production methods from their northerly home (Qingxiang), which were merged with the then-in-use methods from neighboring Sichuan (Nongxiang). The result of this blend of techniques served as the basis for jiangxiang baijiu and more particularly for Maotai itself. The earliest explicit record of Maotai is in 1704, when in Renhuai Caozhi, a local newspaper, it was written that "Moutai Village in the west of the city ranks first in the whole country for making liquor." In "Memoirs of the Long March" the author Cheng Fangwu wrote; “Because of the urgent military situation, we dared not drink much liquor. The liquor was mainly used to wipe our feet and relieve fatigue on the road. Wiping feet with the maotai is effective. Everyone praises it." In a likely apocryphal story, company commander Wang Yuenan, and one of Mao's guards Chen Fengchan, were returning from a trip to purchase Maotai for this purpose when they ran into Mao himself who told them; "Maotai is a place famous for its wine, but it would be a pity to wipe your feet with this wine!"
Since the foundation of the modern Kweichow Moutai, the spirit has served as part of the standard fare for Chinese diplomatic meetings and dinners. From Mao's gifts of Maotai given to Joseph Stalin and Kim Il-Sung in 1950 and 1973 respectively, and the welcoming banquet for U.S. President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China, Maotai has served as one of the primary cultural items representing China on the international stage. Its use in these terms has become so well known that when Deng Xiaoping visited the United States in 1979, Henry Kissinger told him "I think if we drink enough Moutai we can solve anything."