Maotai, a strong liquor distilled from fermented sorghum, is called the national drink of China. Factory director Qiao Hong tells us about the colorful and legend-filled history of the liquor in the town that bears the same name.

"Maotai has a very long history. Its production began about one hundred years before our time. At first a type of fruity liquor was produced, which was called Ju Jiang. It was sweet and tasty. One government official took a sample of this drink to the emperor Han Wu Di, who called it 'honey-like nectar.' It became the first recorded case of alcohol being produced in Maotai," Qiao says.

Fifty years ago, three families dominated the production and sales of Maotai. Later on the government bought the companies and today the drink is produced by the state-owned Kweichow Moutai Company.

"In 1915, the Chinese government asked the famous Maotai families to prepare a batch of the drink for the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Unfortunately preparations for the event did not go as well as planned. The bottles were black without clear and distinctive labels. A statue of nymphs arched around a pot of Maotai stands in front of the hotel (Image: Radio86)A statue of nymphs arched around a pot of Maotai stands in front of the hotel (Image: Radio86)Visitors at the expo walked past the exhibition without noticing the product and even the judges were reluctant to take a taste from the suspicious looking bottles," Qiao recounts.

"One of the Maotai representatives got so frustrated with the poorly organized trip the the exposition that he smashed one of the unattractive bottles on the floor. The bottle shattered into small pieces and the extraordinary odor of the drink spread into the exposition area. People gathered around, attracted by the smell, and ultimately the drink received several mentions. In those days, China was a poor and undeveloped country. International recognition served to lift the spirit of the Chinese and Maotai was accorded the title of national drink in 1915."

The one and only home of Maotai

Qiao Hong sheds some light on the production process of Maotai.

"Maotai is brewed using a local plant by the name of (sorghum) luo kaoliang. Our company gathers the plants from the valley, where they are grown without any fertilizers. During the production process, a small amount of wheat is added to the mixture, but luo kaoliang is the main ingredient."

"The fermentation process is a long and complicated one. All in all it takes about a year. Fermentation is carried out alternatingly in closed and open containers. The resulting brew has to age for a long time, about four years. Our company has more storage buildings than production facilities because the drink needs to age for such a long time," Qiao says.

"One of the factors that contributes to the flavor of Maotai, is the valley that is its home. Its unique climate and vegetation play a large part in the exotic taste of the drink. For this reason, Maotai can only be produced in Maotai. Any other place would be out of the question," Qiao says.

Qiao says that despite growing demand, the production of Maotai is unlikely to increase. A bottle sealed today can only be sold after five years and this keeps the price of the drink high. The construction of high volume production facilities in the valley of Maotai is also out of the question, so it is not possible to produce large quantities of the drink.

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