Kweichow Moutai

贵州茅台

Moutai. One of the great alcoholic beverages of China - our national drink, in fact. We poured a few glasses at dinner last Friday, after the meal. At 53%, you don't play around. A distilled eau-de-vie, from sorghum, made in the town of 茅台 (Maotai).

I personally don't enjoy this eau-de-vie, although I've seen more than a few of my compatriots down it like water. It's fiery, and oily, with a stinky, rustic nose. The fragrance does grow on you, and it has the most incredible length, but I fail to see its merits strictly based on taste. I understand the cultural significance of this drink, but I limit myself to no more than 3 or 4 sips. It's lethal. But it is the drink that Premier 周恩来 (Zhou En-Lai) served to President Nixon during the 1972 visit to China. So there you go. The drink of great men of history.

Photo, courtesy of ROKChoi.

DF