Kweichow Moutai, often regarded as the National Spirit of China, is a spirit (baijiu) unique to the country. The name Moutai comes from its origin, the town of Moutai in Guizhou Province. Moutai town situates at 106-degree east longitude, 27-degree north latitude, and an altitude of 420-550 meters. Surrounded by mountains and divided by Chishui River, the climate of Moutai town contributes much to the success of the unique taste and making of Moutai spirit: mild winter and hot summer, low rainfall and wind, and high humidity.
The Moutai spirit is made from wheats, locally produced sorghum, and quality water from the Chishui River. The making of Moutai spirit includes nine distillations, eight natural fermentations and seven purifying filtrations. A production cycle typically lasts for a whole year, from the making of Qu (yeast) and fermentation around Dragon Boat Festival, the mixing of Qu and sorghum around Chung Yeung Festival, to the distillation of the fermented mixture. The collected spirit will be stored in pottery jars for at least three years before being blended to the Moutai spirit. A good bottle of Moutai spirit, with its rich fragrance and extraordinary taste, typically takes five years to produce.
