Luzhou Laojiao renowned for its ancient fermentation pits, some of which have been continuously active for more than four centuries. These pits hosting a thriving microbiome that helps ferment grains to achieve the liquor's distinctive aroma and complexity.
This expression is called the National Cellar, or "Guojiao", and it is arguably the most famous core product line from Luzhou Laojiao. It is named after the claimed founding year of the distillery and is considered a prestige baijiu due to the fact that it is made from fermentation pits that have been continuously fermenting grains for over 100 years.
While the idea of consuming something from a 100-year-old pit may not sound appetising, this expression is said to be one of the most candied and fruity baijiu expressions ever made.
Let's give this a taste.
Nose: Presents a fresh, floral, and surprisingly mellow aroma. Inviting and fruity sweet notes of white peaches and grilled pineapples emerge clearly and set the tone.
Palate: Bright, pure and intense. Opens up with a fantastic burst of candied sweetness alongside an almost citrusy or effervescent tanginess, reminiscent of Sprite and Sakuma Drops, especially the Lemon (translucent colour) and Pineapple (yellow) hard candies.
The flavours soften into a moderately tangy mouthfeel, gentle spices, mellow floral sweetness, complemented by a fleeting bitterness and a hint of pine resin – a sensation that might best be captured by the Mandarin flavour term 'gan' (甘). Amid the exceptionally candied notes, a very subtle cellar fragrance ("窖香" (jiào xiāng)) emerges, lending a noticeable but rather quiet contrast in the palate.
Finish: Very lasting and pleasant. The initial subtle dryness persists, moving into lightly tangy sour plums and a twist of honey in the mouth. Some liken this to good grappa and I do see some resemblance.
Emoji Rating: 🍾 Gorgeous Champagne-like vibrance.
It stands as an epitome for Rich Aroma baijiu amongst the non-limited edition expressions (there are yet rarer ones that are priced in the thousands). It isn’t very complex, but the sheer candied quality would impress any drinker and more than compensates for this.
This is an expression that you can confidently offer a new drinker, and if they wouldn't take it, you can be sure that baijiu isn't their thing.
Ganbei!
@CharsiuCharlie
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It all started in 2014, the first baijiu cocktail bar was opened in China – Capital Spirits. Back then, a baijiu cocktail bar was an avant garde idea. Although the spirit has already been widely consumed neat throughout China, from wedding banquets to business meetings, the realm of baijiu remained largely separated from the high-end cocktail bartending world. American Derek Sandhaus - one of the most well-known published baijiu writers outside of China, started Capital Spirits with four other friends passionate friends to help the worlds of baijiu meet the world of cocktails.
(Source: Alcademics)
On hindsight, there's no surprises that the first baijiu cocktail bar in China would have been a hit. The Beijing bar quickly became a runaway success, drawing in fashionable native Chinese drinkers as well as expats looking to experience a taste of the iconic Chinese spirit interpreted in a cocktail.
The global consumption of spirits has been gradually growing through the years, while discerning and adventurous drinkers began looking to explore high quality liquor from various cultures. Finding success with his baijiu bar, Derek saw through the Matrix and noticed something interesting.
Although major Chinese baijiu brands were being exported around the world, they were overwhelmingly only consumed by overseas Chinese communities. No existing baijiu brand spent any effort to market themselves to mainstream American, Canadian and European drinkers in the West. It wasn't so much that these baijiu brands weren't interested in expanding their consumer base - baijiu just suffered from a PR problem amongst Westerners. Many encounter some undeniably bad "convenience store" budget baijiu, and decided to write off the entire category as a pungent and undrinkable “firewater” - more like a moonshine than an elegant spirit.
Bill Isler, Derek Sandhaus and Matthias Heger, the founding team of Ming River photographed alongside vats of aging baijiu (Source: Ming River)
Already skilled in educating English-speaking audiences about baijiu, Derek was confident about his ability to market a high quality baijiu brand to a Western audience. And so in 2018 Derek and the partners of Capital Spirits decided to create a new baijiu brand in partnership with the heritage brand Luzhou Laojiao, China's oldest operational baijiu distillery that began back in the time of the Ming Dynasty in 1573.
Now, Luzhou Laojiao is already famous within China and around overseas Chinese communities as one of the best Strong Aroma baijiu brands. But let's be honest: the packaging looks quite tacky on the shelf beside a bottle of Yamazaki 12 or a Macallan.
Derek's team conceived of an entirely new brand name - Ming River - with a classy grey label and a weighty, crystal clear glass bottle. While most original expressions from Luzhou Laojiao come in at about 52% ABV, Ming River comes in at just 45% ABV, making for a lighter baijiu. Presumably, a lower ABV baijiu would be a little more palatable or more accessible to a Western audience. Let's give this a try!
Nose: Heady and complex. Starts off with a distinct note of sweet-tart lychees, followed closely by citrus. As it unfolds, there's a growing presence of mellow soy sauce and also an underlying earthiness that reminds you of fresh clay and soil, concluding with a clean, mineral touch.
Palate: Clean and sweet, with a delightful oily texture. It's dominated by the bright, fruity flavors of cream soda and lychee, even reminiscent of lychee cream cake. There's the typical dry sourness often associated with baijiu, it’s noticeably subdued in this variant, making this all the better for someone who finds most baijiu too pungent and esoteric at times.
Finish: The tail end gets even more interesting. Light industrial grease and the solventy note of a marker pen, these "industrial" notes are mostly are grounded by a pleasant sweetness and umami of soy sauce and bonito. Underpinning all of this is a faintly medicinal touch, almost akin to ginseng, giving it an earthy, rooty end.
👯♀️ A high quality people-pleaser of a baijiu!
Honestly, this feels so much lighter and cleaner than the usual Luzhou Laojiao baijiu.
It's refreshingly easy to drink with absolutely no unpleasant off-notes or burn, and yet also has a nice layered sweetness like a good baijiu. It's clear that this is a baijiu that's not just for the seasoned aficionados but also an excellent (and I have to say quite a high quality) starting point for those new to the world of baijiu.
It manages to be welcoming for new drinkers, yet it doesn’t compromise on the authentic traits of a genuine baijiu.
@CharsiuCharlie
]]>These slim, unpretentious containers exude a quiet confidence that stands in contrast to ostentatious and sometimes hilariously over-the-top baijiu bottlings from Mainland China.
Even amongst experienced baijiu enthusiasts in Beijing or Shanghai, one of the most highly-regarded brands of baijiu that they love isn’t really produced in China. Okay, well… that depends on who you ask – I’m not getting into that discussion today.
Nestled within the historic charm of Kinmen islands, a cluster of 15 islands that lies a mere 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) from Mainland China, lies plentiful fields of sorghum (or “kaoliang” in Taiwanese Mandarin) . Despite Kinmen’s proximity to Mainland China, this cluster of islands is administered by the government of Taiwan. This is the birthplace of the famous Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor.
One of the islets of Kinmen photographed just 2 kilometres off the glass-walled high-rises of Mainland China (Source: Getty Images)
Emblematic of the island's rich past, this kaoliang liquor is steeped in a profound narrative of history and terroir. Made from the sorghum crops of this rugged terrain, it stands as a testament to the resilient spirit of the island's denizens. Back in the 1950s, China was undergoing a civil war between the Communists and Nationalists. The island was used by the Nationalists as a military bastion for Taiwan against Mainland China.
While administered by the Taiwanese government, Kinmen Islands lie incredibly close to Mainland China (Source: CNN)
To supply this garrison, the Taiwanese government had to import rice from Taiwan along with fuel and necessities like liquor – a costly financial burden on the Taiwanese government coffers. Rice had to be imported because the area’s droughts and sandy earth made rice cultivation impossible.
General Hu Lian, the commander of Kinmen's defense base, came up with a resourceful plan. Instead of trying to cultivate rice, he encouraged local Kinmenese farmers to grow sorghum – a drought resistant crop – and barter their harvest for an equal weight of imported rice. This seemingly simple shift in agricultural policy not only eased financial strain but also ignited the inception of a sorghum spirit that has since become inseparable from the island's identity.
Today, the echoes of Kinmen's militaristic past lie interwoven with the island's serene ambiance. The town of Jincheng, once abuzz with over 100,000 Taiwanese troops, now exudes tranquillity, its charm accentuated by small quaint temples, cobbled lanes, and the ocean’s pervasive tang.
Sorghum grown on Kinmen (Source: 曾吉弘/Google Maps)
Now that the islands are mostly unoccupied the Kinmen Kaoliang distilleries hold a prominent presence in the area. Both the old and new facilities, stand as striking landmarks. The new distillery plant sits in the heart of the main island with two monumental model bottles of Kinmen Kaoliang. The more historic facility in the southwest, beneath Jincheng, overlooks the sea while its tanks and warehouses still emanate a sweet scent of fermented sorghum that can be smelled by the surrounding village.
The new Kinmen Kaoliang distillery plant (Source: Getty Images)
Kinmen Kaoliang’s mainstays come in two unassuming transparent glass bottles, holding within them the 58 percent and 38 percent alcohol variants. These slim, unpretentious containers exude a quiet confidence that stands in contrast to ostentatious and sometimes hilariously over-the-top baijiu bottlings from Mainland China. From the 58-percent proof Kinmen Kaoliang, cherished for its remarkable compatibility with Taiwanese stir-fried dishes and hot pots, to the more delicate 38 percent variant favoured by women, young adults, and the elderly, these offerings have something for every discerning Taiwanese palate.
While the Taiwan-based Kinmen Kaoliang does not officially classify its liquor under the aroma classifications used by the Mainland Chinese baijiu industry (e.g. Rich Aroma, Light Aroma, Sauce Aroma etc.), it is often described by connoisseurs to be closest to Light Aroma baijiu.
A good friend recently took a trip to Taiwan, and we conveniently got an opportunity to have a taste of this classic liquor beloved by the Chinese and Taiwanese. Let’s get into it!
Nose: On first approach, the nose is pleasantly sweet, vibrant, and approachable. It exudes a charming aroma of fresh grain sweetness layered by white lychee cream cakes, developing into a growing acidic zing of lychee and fresh plums. A distinct note, reminiscent of the funk of Clairin Casimir, subtly weaves its way through the scent profile. There’s a just-noticeable light minerality. Over time, the initial sugary character starts to yield, revealing a musky grain scent that conjures up images of an aged, venerable antique store.
Palate: Approachable and yet flavourful and very expressive. A burst of sweetness greets the palate, carrying forward the grain notes and tropical rum-like funkiness hinted at in the nose. An unexpected complexity unfolds midway, as the flavours swerve toward a grassy herbal bitterness. This is swiftly followed by a whisper of brine and some light gasoline notes seen in many Light Aroma style baijiu.
Finish: The finish is moderate, leaving a very light dryness, mild herbaceous bitterness that is strangely refreshing, and a comfortable sense of warmth as it lingers at the back of the throat.
A surprising roller coaster of flavours!
Overall, this Kinmen Kaoliang Baijiu at 38% ABV presents an enjoyable and impressively balanced drinking experience great for non-baijiu or non-neat spirits drinkers.
Despite the lower ABV, it surprises with its flavourful palate – which in fact seems more flavourful that other higher ABV products. Although the texture is quite watery and lean, this feels entirely appropriate given the lower alcohol content which is intended for a specific consumer segment. The intriguing blend of sweetness, funkiness, and light bitterness ensures each sip is also quite an adventure, and keeps my taste buds on their toes.
Nose: Invitingly sweet, rich, luscious and full. As opposed to the lighter 38% ABV variant, this presents very focused cereal notes, melded with a really refined fruitiness and only a whisper of funk, leading into an elegant scent of blooming orchids, a touch of minerality and some light medicinal woodiness.
Palate: Mellow, intricately flavoured with a satisfying oily texture. Its high viscosity once again carries focused, sweet toasty cereal notes that seamlessly evolves into a light toasted nuts bitterness and distinctive notes of sesame paste with the umami of miso soup.
These flavours transition beautifully, seamlessly. While the profile is incredibly clean and pure for a baijiu of this level of character and flavour – it’s devoid of gasoline or tinner notes, and virtually no unwelcome acidity. And despite the high ABV of 58%, it gently warms the tongue and the back of the throat.
Finish: Long, pristine, and graced with a faint echo of cereals and nuttiness. The experience concludes with a hint of bitterness, reminiscent of a piece of dark chocolate savoured slowly.
Incredibly focused, tasty and full of toasted grain goodness.
The flagship Kinmen Kaoliang Baijiu 58% ABV impresses with its extraordinary purity and complex flavours that are super well-integrated while seamlessly evolving.
It really excels with a focused and deep flavour profile of sweet cereal notes. The absence of even a hint of off-notes such as gasoline, nail polish remover or unwelcome acidity is also particularly impressive – and it should make this very palatable to Western tastebuds. It is difficult to find a Western spirit comparator, but I’d compare this with a pleasant malty new make Scotch or moonshine.
This baijiu is a delightful exploration of taste, a libation that I happily poured a second and third glass off. Highly recommend for those interested in a deeper dive into the world of baijiu.
Exploring these two variants of Kinmen Kaoliang and the history of Kinmen Islands has been an enriching journey through the intricate world of Taiwanese spirits and history.
Now, the 38% ABV variant, with its balanced and surprisingly expressive palate, impresses in its own right. It’s a solid choice for those seeking a refreshing and flavourful yet very approachable baijiu. It can comfortably replace commercial soju as a social drink paired with food on many occasions.
However, the 58% ABV variant really stands out as a remarkable expression. Its smooth and clean profile, seamless progression of flavours and absence of off-notes and an impressive depth of toasted grain flavour really sets it apart. It is without a doubt that I declare the Kinmen Kaoliang Baijiu 58% ABV as my new favourite baijiu. This is a delightful discovery and a tasty spirit that I would gladly pour for myself again and again.
@CharsiuCharlie
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There’s a famous ancient poem from during the Tang Dynasty in China (circa 600 AD) that young children are still taught in school today. It talks about travellers looking to drown their sorrows at a tavern during “Qing Ming festival” or the Chinese festival of the dead:
Heavy rain falls, this Qing Ming season,
The road is filled with mournful travellers,
One asked for directions to a wine tavern,
A shepherd boy points them to Apricot Blossom Village (杏花村).
The Apricot Blossom Village (or Xinghua Village) mentioned in this poem is the birthplace of Fenjiu, where the baijiu has been made by this village’s inhabitants for over a thousand years.
Often regarded as the embodiment of the perfect Light Aroma-style baijiu, Fenjiu is one of the oldest brands to have existed amongst the baijiu brands of China, and is described as the “Founder of the baijiu industry”. In fact, Fenjiu’s founding predates the iconic Moutai (which Henry Kissinger loved) by several centuries.
While most other famous baijiu brands are content to run with tacky, over the top product design and kitsch marketing posters, Fenjiu has in recent years stands out for building for itself a very sleek, tasteful and polished brand image. It's part of their strategy, just let me explain.
There’s a general consensus amongst baijiu connoisseurs that Strong Aroma baijiu is the most desirable and prestigious style among the four styles. On the other hand, Light Aroma baijiu is generally ranked last in desirability due to its mild and light fragrance, and comparatively simpler flavour profile. Yet as baijiu gains international prominence, Light Aroma baijiu is poised to have the most international appeal. And it's really due to its approachability.
New Westernised drinkers may get knocked off their socks by the potency of most baijiu styles, Fenjiu’s Light Aroma style is like a mild and easy-going neighbour who’s always a joy to hang out with. This mellowness makes it very easy to drink amongst drinkers of whisky, brandy and rum outside of China, and it is this growth opportunity that Fenjiu – the best of the Light Aroma category – seems to be positioning itself for.
Fenjiu is made from mainly sorghum and a smaller proportion of barley and other grains, and double-distilled like many Scotch whiskies. The spirit is also mixed with pure spring water drawn from the Gouzhuang spring near the village, resting below a nearby forest. All of this magic unfolds in a distillery complex that is mind-bogglingly huge – a whopping 18 square kilometres which, for perspective, is 10 times the size of the Macallan Distillery!
During Jiu Asia 2023, our team got a taste of a wide variety of old baijius that we ordinarily can't afford. So let’s dive right into our review of this premium Fenjiu lineup!
The Fenjiu Qinghua (or the name “Qinghua” is a reference to Blue Floral Pottery) is the flagship range of premium baijiu from the distillery. The baijiu had been mainly aged in traditional ceramic earthen vessels and aged for a full 20 years for flavours to be integrated and mellowed.
Nose: Pure, refined and verdant. Brims with a gentle citrusy zest, green appley fragrance and subtle notes of tart umeshu, blending harmoniously with an unmistakable coastal note akin to that found in certain Scotches (such as Old Pulteney or Caol Ila).
Palate: Refined, mellow and well-balanced. Pleasantly oily and velvety texture. Opens very clean and pure with a mellow sweetness of water chestnuts, followed by a light tinge of sour plums. The finale of the palate unfolds with striking minerality, reminiscent of fresh spring water and brine.
Finish: Unceasingly long, clean and perpetuating with a mild aroma sweet soy sauce gently fading in a memorable signature.
My Thoughts: 👌🏻Delightfully refined and really accessible.
While some may be apprehensive of baijiu to some degree, this is indeed one of the lightest and smoothest, with a character that can readily be appreciated by enthusiasts of Scotch, Japanese whiskies, or sake. Despite a rather straightforward profile, this baijiu presents a great interplay of interlaced flavours that leave behind a lingering, pleasant memory.
This is an excellent choice to share with those seeking baijiu for the first time.
This is from the same premium Qinghua range, and had been aged for 30 years.
Nose: Also pristinely clean and refined, but the nose is significantly more vibrant and fruity compared to its younger sibling. It sings of green apples, Asian pear, and even a bit of steamed corn and barley adding depth and contrast. Underlying it all, there's a faint whisper of green tea leaves and a familiar echo of seaspray.
Palate: Refined, well-balanced and vibrant. Texture is akin to the 20 Years Old, and also has a sense of freshness and purity. Yet it stands out by leaning towards more sweetness than the 20 Years Old – red apples, pears make an entrance, seamlessly mellowing into mild bitterness of chrysanthemum flower tea and a faint steamed barley note. Another layer of distinctive minerality and brine begin to show up toards the end.
Finish: Very long, clean and lightly perfumed, with trailing notes of brine, plums and jasmine flowers that leave a lasting imprint on the palate.
My Thoughts: 🌄 Vibrant as a sunrise over the Wu Tang mountains.
Demonstrating more complexity and yet maintaining enviable balance. Just like the 20 Years Old, this expression is accessible and smooth on the palate. The main distinction between the 20 and 30 Years Old lies not in their quality, but rather their stylistic differences.
Those who prefer a more complex baijiu might find themselves leaning towards the 30 Years Old, charmed by its intricate interplay of contrasting notes of steamed barley and tea. Yet, the purists, many of who appreciate the classic structure of a Light Aroma baijiu, might favour the 20 Years Old for its unwavering commitment to showcasing citrus, fresh green apples, and a light, clean tartness. For them, the additional flavours present in the 30 Years Old might seem to distract from the fundamental Light Aroma profile. Thus, both versions stand in their own right, each appealing to different facets of baijiu appreciation.
Launched fairly recently in 2019, the Fenjiu Silk Road edition is the top-end product from their core range, and as the name “Silk Road” implied, company confirmed during their launch event in Hong Kong that this product is targeted for the overseas markets.
The spirit is said to be selected from the top 1.9% of the distillery’s annual output.
Nose: Bright and aromatic. Much more hefty florals compared to the 30 Years Old, with notes of rose, jasmine and honeysuckles.
Palate: Vibrant, sweet but with an incredibly elegant reveal. The introduction is a symphony in slow motion: a gentle and restrained floral sweetness that gradually crescendos into a pronounced fruity intensity – like taking the first bite of a ripe stone fruit. Accompanying this wave of flavours is a nice persistent warmth.
Just as the 30 Years Old, this variant also exhibits the vibrant notes of red apples, pears, and plums. However, here the flavours are bolder, more precise and intentional. The brininess or barley previously noted in the 30 Years Old are subdued but still perceptible towards the finish.
Finish: A little sooner than the 30 Years Old – clean, floral and lightly perfumed with mellow plums and rose.
My Thoughts: 🎯Bold, precise and intentional.
This expression is surprisingly robust and intense for a Light Aroma style baijiu, wielding a bold sweetness and pleasant warmth with exacting precision. Its structure impresses, as it gently escalates in intensity and recedes just as smoothly. Unlike the ambitious 30 Years Old which plays a multifaceted symphony of fruits, florals, and earthiness, this variant demonstrates a focused maturity, knowing exactly which chords to strike and instruments to use. This is a harmonious composition that confidently takes the centre stage.
Here’s an interesting piece of historical fact: people regularly consumed alcohols for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. During the Middle Ages, medicines came in the form of raw herbs and powders, and there wasn’t a Pfizer or Moderna to supply you with injections or gelatine pills. Some of these nasty-tasting medicines also couldn’t be dissolved in water. Early physicians therefore used distilled spirits as a medium to dissolve medicines and let the sick drink them.
This practice became widespread in ancient China, and as people began creating and refining their “tonic wine” recipes, the bamboo leaves liquor (竹叶青酒) became a very popular type of therapeutic alcohol that is enjoyed by noble peoples over a thousand years ago. This drink was made by steeping bamboo leaves and several other Chinese herbs in strong liquor, ideally Light Aroma baijiu for a cleaner taste.
Fenjiu’s 10 Years Old Bamboo Leaves Liqueur is made in pretty much the same way as the ancients did: bamboo leaves and 11 other secret herbs and spices (kinda like KFC) were steeped in 10-year-old Fenjiu for about a month, infusing it with a complex, herbaceous quality. Cane sugar is also added to taste.
Nose: Fresh, verdant, and invitingly herbaceous. Led by a gentle woodiness, underpinned by dried ginseng and angelica roots. This earthy, herby blend is complemented by a delicate and fresh note of plums, softly rounded off by a whisper of vanilla sweetness.
Palate: The palate comes as close to Chinese dessert soup as you could probably get in the realm of spirits. It opens with a mild honeyed sweetness (indeed, this product contains sugar), balanced with the light bitterness of ginseng, angelica roots, toasted coconuts, and vanilla. The mouthfeel is much more akin to an alcoholic cordial than a spirit, making for a delicately light and approachable drink.
Opens with a mild honeyed sweetness (yes, there’s rock sugar in this product), light bitterness of ginseng, angelica roots, toasted coconuts and vanilla. The mouthfeel is much lighter and closer to a cordial than a spirit.
Finish: The finish is distinctive and immediately transports you to an old school TCM medical hall. There's an unmissable note reminiscent of Po Chai Pills (保济丸), evoking a fading array of familiar yet elusive Chinese herbal medicines I can’t put a finger on.
My Thoughts: 🥃🫖 Pleasantly sweet and invigorating – like drinking an Irish hot toddy.
A clean, tasty concoction that might leave you scratching your head and unable to find a reference by which to judge it. It’s not really a baijiu and tastes pretty far in texture (very light and watery) and flavour from one. It’s also quite different in character from most fruited or desserty liqueurs the likes of umeshu or coffee whiskey liqueur.
I’d compare this to an Irish spiced hot toddy (whiskey, lemon, herbs, spices and hot water) traditionally drunk in cold weather, or traditional Chinese herbal dessert soups. It’s an excellent choice for those looking for a different take on baijiu or anyone with a palate for the charm of traditional Chinese herbal mixtures. Indeed, Hong Kong bartenders are even exploring making cocktails with this bamboo leaves liquor.
I’d like to try this hot if I get the chance.
And so, we conclude our journey through the remarkable history, production, and allure of Fenjiu baijiu. Honestly, I didn’t expect to learn that this brand of baijiu to be linked to a poem I learnt when I was only 12 years old during Mandarin classes. Neither did I expect Fenjiu’s Bamboo Leaves Liquor – which technically is a sweetened liqueur – to be made from a recipe that essentially has not changed for thousands of years.
While the baijiu industry is a vast and complex tapestry of heavy styles and piquant flavours, Fenjiu's emphasis on elegance and subtlety has seen it carve out a unique niche in the international market. As someone who has definitely drunk more “western” liquors than baijiu, I do think that Fenjiu’s taste profile does hold great promise in winning over spirit lovers from around the world.
So, here's a toast to Fenjiu, quite possibly baijiu's best hope of capturing the hearts and minds of overseas drinkers. From being a domestic underdog (a Light Aroma baijiu) this brand has become an important asset in helping the category chart its furture direction.
Ganbei!
@CharsiuCharlie
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This reminds us of... Better times between global superpowers. Try this if... You're into high ester rums, or you're able to keep an open mind. Pssst, did you know... The town of Moutai has been producing baijiu for over a thousand years! |
I think if we drink enough Moutai we can solve anything.
– Henry Kissinger
A recent study measuring the value (by notional profit) of the world's major liquor brands found that the world's most valuable whisky brand is Jack Daniel’s, which comes in at US$2.9 billion. Johnnie Walker follows closely behind at US$2.6 billion. Luxury Cognac producer Hennessey is almost twice as valuable at US$5.2 billion.
Yet the top 3 most valuable spirits brands are all baijiu producers, with Kweichow Moutai in the lead at a staggering US$42.9 billion.
I've done a quick informal survey with most whisky and rum enthusiasts I know. Despite most of them being familiar with the brand, most – including myself – have not in fact tasted a Moutai. It isn't unattainable, it's just too much of a Veblen Good here in Asia, a luxury product meant for conspicuous consumption. A 500ml bottle of genuine Kweichow Moutai costs about *S$650 (US$450) in Singapore. The masses do not notice how it tastes, they simply notice that you have a bottle on your dining table.
(*Note: I'm talking about the real stuff labelled "Kweichow Moutai", not cheaper ranges such as the "Moutai Yingbin”, "Moutai Prince” or "Moutai Bulao”)
Read this to learn which Brands of Baijiu are Worth your Money
For the most part, true spirits enthusiasts like us think we're too clever to buy a bottle just because of its luxury branding. I won't fall for your tricks, Macallan marketers! But my granddad is a baijiu lover, and for his 90th birthday this weekend, $650 for a bottle does not come close to being expensive.
As I poured the clear liquor into hilariously tiny cups that come with the bottle, my grandfather was quick to interrupt me with a history lesson. Apparently, at the 1915 Panama-Pacific World Exposition hosted in San Francisco, a jar of Moutai liquor was accidentally smashed, causing the fragrant aroma of the baijiu to fill the air. This aroma captured the expo judges’ attention and helped Moutai win a Gold medal, and it was then that the rest of the world became aware of this incredible Chinese liquor. Or so the story goes.
Moutai Baiju came to global prominence at the 1915 Panama-Pacific World Exposition in San Francisco (Image Source: PARC, NPS)
Then in 1972, President Richard Nixon accepted an invitation to Beijing in a surprising turn of events. Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai hosted Nixon with a state banquet, honouring Nixon with a tiny glass of Moutai. The toast of warm Chinese liquor marked a turning point in history and the warming of diplomatic relations between the superpowers.
Two years later, the US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told Deng Xiaoping, China's paramount leader: "I think if we drink enough Moutai we can solve anything."
Move aside influencer-marketing campaigns. I'd rather have world leaders endorse my brand!
Jokes aside, such glowing endorsements by people of influence cannot be purchased with any sum of money. They also made Moutai the brand of choice for many elites in Asia, a must-have at business banquets – not merely a symbol of wealth or power, but also a clear message that you hold your guest in high regard.
But glamour and prestige aside, what does baijiu mean to a spirits geek? Well, first you should know that there are 4 major flavour categories of baijiu – Sauce Aroma (酱香), Strong Aroma (浓香), Light Aroma (清香), Rice Aroma (米香). Moutai is categorised as a Sauce Aroma Baijiu, a category appreciated for its complex savoury notes reminiscent of Chinese sweet sauce or soy sauce.
Let's give this a taste!
On the nose: Fresh, piquant, estery and savoury.
Its aroma is felt in the room the moment I poured out a cup. Its opening is perfumed, bright, sweet, estery, reminiscent of white rum and Clairin Casimir. There's a pinch of Jamaican white rum funkiness, a little knob of overripe bananas interlaced with the clean sweetness of fresh Asian peaches.
A bit more freshness develops, and we start seeing bright crisp fruits – Asian pear, lychees and mangosteens. Deeper notes and some complexity begin to show up in the midway, with a very fine, delicate caramelised nuttiness of toasted sesame, shoyu, turning towards richer depths of Chinese beef stir-fry with oyster sauce and the light umami of fried Japanese rice crackers wrapped with nori.
The aromas are multifaceted but well-integrated and balanced. Very boldly directed, but not at all pungent.
On the palate: Crisp, complex, savoury and smooth.
The first sip is packed with a rich, intense sweetness of honey and nectarines, gradually building towards an almost-but-not-quite solventy kerosene sweetness which lingers on the tongue due to a very viscous, oily texture.
Richness in flavour is counterbalanced by a rather crisp, tart, clean and slightly mineral quality of dry Junmai Daiginjo sakés. Mild mineral brininess begins to make an entrance after a couple of seconds, developing into a mellow, mouth-watering note of light soy sauce that trails off into aromatic temple incense.
Is there any harshness that "Chinese firewater" are notorious for? I don't detect any. The palate is warm and actually very mellow compared to many cask strength whiskies or rums of similar ABV (53%). I find the crispness and heat here quite comparable to a cask strength Irish whiskey, the likes of Redbreast 12 Cask Strength.
The finish: Long, distinct and enduring. The palate is left with fading nuttiness reminiscent of lotus seed paste, before turning to a warm, lingering umami earthiness and echos of sweet Asian peaches and prickly mint emanating from the back of the throat. Some yeastiness at the very end.
Here are some things people have said about Moutai:
"Imagine rotten cabbage, ethyl alcohol, and paint thinner, blended and strained. It smells like ammonia... The taste lingers long after swallowing, shadowing the rest of the meal like a culinary revenant."
– The Atlantic, "Is This the Best-Selling Liquor in the World?"
"The first time I tried Moutai it tasted like engine oil - fiery and burnt my throat on the way down."
– A quote on the BBC, "Kweichow Moutai: 'Elite' alcohol brand is China's most valuable firm"
"I've never met anybody, even at the heights of alcoholic derangement, prepared to admit that they actually liked the taste ... After drinking it, most people screw up their faces in an involuntary expression of pain and some even yell out."
– Tim Clissold, "Mr China"
So it seems that you and I were lucky to have even been born. By their reviews of the Moutai, the Chinese Premier took a big geopolitical gamble in serving the US President a cup of "rotten cabbage" and "ammonia". Miraculously, Nixon liked the taste of Moutai and saw that as a gesture of friendship, not an assassination attempt.
I do agree Moutai does leave a very lasting finish and aftertaste during a meal. But that's as far as the hyperbolic reviews go. I've tasted the pudding and here's the proof: it's actually very smooth and very drinkable, nowhere as fiery as certain Islay Scotches or barrel-strength American bourbons. And it's not for nothing that Moutai is currently the most valuable spirits brand in the world. This is objectively delicious and easily one of the most complex and layered spirits I've tasted – whether aged or unaged.
Why then, do we hear so many criticisms of Moutai for its apparent pungency and fieriness?
Here is one theory: Many brands of cheap baijiu are undeniably bad and razor-sharp. This could have diluted Moutai's brand equity amongst English-speakers because the term "Moutai" is often liberally applied by laypeople to both good and bad baijiu à la "Australian Champagne".
Here's my other theory: some these self-proclaimed Moutai "critics" do not seem to be drinks writers themselves. I would like to see them distinguish between good whisky and bad whisky.
We continue to live in an interesting, uncertain era. It would be facetious of me to suggest that a mere drink could fix some profound issues or resolve humanity's sources of division. Yet it was Kissinger himself who suggested the US and China could resolve anything as long as they drank enough Moutai. At a time when the room temperature is a little chilly, it surely wouldn't hurt to reminisce on better days over cups of warm Chinese liquor.
Our Rating |
🌏🕊Rich, savoury, complex, very drinkable and objectively delicious. It just might help us resolve any differences. |
@CharsiuCharlie
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