12 Moutai special Thursday, July 28, 2016 DAILY

Perfectly clear, Ideal mix of the old and new environmentally green as grass The most Chinese of is gaining a place in foreign markets, Miguel Villanueva reports.

By HARVEY DZODIN was offered my first glass of [email protected] , the national of China, more than a decade ago. I have a confession to make. I don’t To the amusement of my class- usually get drunk but I did recently mates at Beijing Language and when I visited Maotai town in north- CultureI University, I drank the 53 ern province. However, it’s percent proof spirit without hesita- not quite what think. tion because of my deep respect for I didn’t quite succumb to the intoxi- Chinese culture. cating spirits and sirens of China’s To me, baijiu is imbued with national drink but was on a natural both history and legend. It carries a high experiencing the beauty of the strong cultural meaning that is rich town and its surroundings along the in historic facts, such as its use by Chishui River. Never again when I see the Red Army to sterilize wounds one of those distinctive white bottles during the civil war. It also has an with the diagonal stripe will I think aura of legend, like the scenes por- merely of the liquid treasure inside. trayed in poems written by Li Bai, I will also think of the beauty of the the Wine Immortal. Maotai town area and the contribu- Ten years after that fi rst taste, I tions that the has fi nd myself drinking baijiu again made to it as one element of its very — this time at Maotai — the small signifi cant commitment to its corpo- town that produces the best rate social responsibility (CSR). China has to o< er. Frankly, I don’t think that most peo- Kweichow Moutai stands out as ple know about Moutai’s CSR. This the most renowned brand of baijiu. puzzles me because numerous studies For centuries, it has been produced have shown that being a good corpo- in Maotai, Guizhou province. The rate citizen and letting stakeholders old-fashioned romanization of its know about CSR efforts goes right Chinese name evokes origins rooted to the bottom line. And at Moutai, in a unique location, tradition and CSR is part of the company’s DNA. mastery in liquor making. According to Yuan Renguo, Moutai’s Connoisseurs often break down Statues at China Liquor Cultural City, a liquor museum built by Kweichow Moutai in Maotai town, shows China’s God of Liquor and ancient people making liquor. chairman, the group always adheres baijiu into four di< erent aromas: WANG ZHUANGFEI / CHINA DAILY to sustainable development and social rice, light, strong and soy sauce, the responsibility in an organic way. latter being extremely laborious to Not everyone will visit Maotai achieve due to its exclusive relation town, but they should because it’s to the geography, climate and mate- China’s Camelot. It’s a magnificent rials only found at Maotai. place built sip by sip. It’s emblematic Moutai’s classic Feitian 53 of the company’s commitments to its degrees, which is aged for fi ve years, workers, neighbors and visitors. As is a fi ne example of the sauce aroma. they say, charity begins at home. It is sweet to the nose, with traces of Moutai is a crystal clear liquid but ethanol and acetone, and sour to the did you know that it’s also green? palate. Beware, though, the initial Chairman Yuan says that “ecology sip can be fi erce to the uninitiated. is at the root of Moutai”. Accordingly, Notes of a soy sauce fragrance and the company has made great e< orts a lingering aftertaste that stimulate to improve the local residents’ liv- the appetite are among its most dis- ing conditions to create a clean, tidy, tinctive features. beautiful and livable town. Equally important are the health Left: A statue at Kweichow Moutai of the logo on the company’s premium Feitian 53-degree product. MIGUEL VILLANUEVA / FOR CHINA DAILY Middle: Foreigners visit China Meanwhile, the Moutai Group has benefi ts brought by moderate con- Liquor Cultural City in Maotai town. YANG JUN / CHINA DAILY Right: Moutai goes through long periods of storage before reaching store shelves. YANG JUN / CHINA DAILY paid great attention to the protection sumption. Moutai stimulates the of its water source, which is also the digestive and circulatory systems. variety of microorganisms needed counterparts. Unlike them, Moutai The crafting of China’s fi nest liquor fragrance that gained Moutai its soul of its local and regional beauty. After a couple of shots, the spirit for fermentation, while also taking is solid-fermented and solid-dis- requires a great deal of manual great reputation. As Yuan has said: “To date, there is delivers a warm, comfortable feeling advantage of the unpolluted waters tilled. The traditional production labor. Activities such as barefoot The expansion towards moderni- not one chemical plant within 100 to the whole body. Furthermore, its of the Chishui River. process requires multiple instances crushing of grains, shoveling of con- ty does not mean the end of an era. purity is such that it is free from the Even after the government of cooking, cooling, blending and coctions and storage of the spirit On the contrary, my visit to Maotai disagreeable physical effects that tried to build another factory in the addition of qu, Moutai’s own in ceramic bottles are all common only reaD rmed my respect for the often follow alcohol consumption. the northern outskirts of to fermentation agent. practice defined by the “Moutai ancient craft of liquor making in In recent years, authorities such increase production, using exactly Years of careful work and con- Standard”. China. It was a pleasure to witness as experts from Guizhou University the same raw materials, workers stant tending, with as many as Following increasing demand the capacity of a culture to keep have researched the health benefi ts and engineering from the original seven distillations and long periods for its products, the Moutai Group its own history and legends alive of Moutai. Moreover, the Moutai factory, the new location failed to of storage, result in distillates with has established a series of modern in such a formidable manner, pre- Group has incorporated a few varia- produce liquor of the same qual- unique characteristics. Professional brands based on the original for- serving human craftsmanship and tions into its original recipe. ity. Thus, Moutai has attained an tasters separate, store and blend the mula, but with diverse properties the value of its own land in such a The refi ned characteristics of the exclusive designation of geographi- concoctions according to age, fra- such as age, alcohol content and tangible, distinguished manner, for spirit are linked to its geographi- cal origin similar to Scotch whisky grance and grade. In the end, more medicinal properties. These brands the world to see, and taste. cal origin. Moutai is distilled from and Cognac brandy. than 100 di< erent-aged spirits go are oriented to the ever-growing sorghum and wheat in an area of Nevertheless, Moutai has evolved into a single batch of Moutai. number of consumers looking for The author is director of Lotus rich soil with particular climate from a completely di< erent back- Modern machinery barely fea- top quality baijiu, but not necessar- Consulting based in Beijing. Contact the Workers at Moutai’s packaging plant. conditions that produce a unique ground compared to its Western tures in the production of Moutai. ily attached to the traditional sauce writer at [email protected]. YANG JUN / CHINA DAILY

kilometers in the upper reaches of the Chishui River, which is also far from industrial and mineral construction.” Since 2014, Moutai has pledged to Moutai myths, masters and misadventures invest 50 million yuan ($7.5 million) annually to protect the river’s environ- ment for a decade. If there ever was By SIMON STAFFORD eight fermentation sessions and a textbook example of Adam Smith’s [email protected] seven distillation sessions, as invisible hand, this is it: business serv- well as numerous blendings. The ing its own self-interest and benefi t- If you talk to many people in whole process takes five years, ting the commonweal. China, especially foreigners, about and according to Peng Jing, Moutai adheres to insuring food baijiu, the country’s powerful, pun- roughly 5 percent of the wine fails safety from fields to factories, and gent white liquor, the response you testing. has established a “green supply chain” often get is a violent grimace akin So, what of the taste and e< ect system. This includes green acquisi- to that which tends to accompany of Moutai? I was advised to brace tion of production resources, green a stubbed toe. This is often swiftly myself for the fi rst sip, but I found supply, green machining and green followed by “Don’t do it. You’ll go it mildly pleasant, if strong. After recycling. This ensures the green, blind. And deaf. And that’s just the about an hour of imbibing the organic and healthy quality of Moutai, beginning.” shot-sized glasses at semi-regular and at the same time helps realize This changes, however, the clos- intervals, I felt a lovely warm feel- sustainable development in nature. er you get to Guizhou province, and ing spread throughout my body, Moutai’s CSR contributions don’t more specifi cally to the lovely town but without any of the mental stop at the border of the town or at the of Maotai itself, the physical and agitation that tends to assail me banks of the Chishui River. The com- spiritual home of China’s revered when I drink other spirits. pany has made huge investments into spirit. Astonishingly, despite the fi elds such as culture, sports, educa- Moutai, you are told, is differ- Visitors enjoy a panoramic view of Maotai town, with the Chishui River fl owing through it. The river’s water, which is amount I must have consumed, I tion, as well as local infrastructure con- ent. Everything about it, from the used to make Moutai, is protected by the government. QIU GUOYU / FOR CHINA DAILY only felt pleasantly tired the next struction, charity and social support. pristine location where its ingredi- day and had none of the tradi- Moutai assisted quake-hit regions ents are nurtured to the care with dar. It is then put in sorghum for only the fi nest quality liquor. tional hangover symptoms I was such as Yushu and Wenchuan as well which the drink is blended, ensures the fi rst time on the Double Ninth One of Moutai’s tasters and certainly expecting after drinking as drought-stricken areas. It has sup- an enjoyable and clean experience, Festival, which is on the ninth day judges, Peng Jing, deputy direc- so much of a strong spirit. ported Hope Primary Schools and the no matter how much of the liquor of the ninth month. This date is tor of liquor storage, underscored I, however, was not the ultimate Canteen of Hope Project, as well as you consume (more about that synonymous with longevity in Chi- the importance of maintaining proof of the “no hangover” claim providing fi nancial assistance to col- later). nese culture. You need to maintain a sensitive palate. “You need to that contributes to the Moutai lege students in need. In fact, since Much is made of the ingredients There is also a strong human ele- maintain a regular lifestyle to myth. One of our members, not the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010), the Kweichow Moutai Group uses ment behind it all; from the dedi- a regular lifestyle keep your senses intact,” she content with mere shot glasses, Moutai has invested 1.4 billion yuan in to produce its unique and strictly cated factory workers who pack the to keep your senses said. “This means we have to proceeded to quaff from the commonweal undertakings. For the controlled product. 500-gram Moutai bottles by hand be very careful not to drink too decanters, toasting all and sundry past fi ve years, they have supported Apart from the organic sorghum in six-hour shifts, working at such intact. This means we much alcohol outside of work and in the true spirit of his hosts. 20,000 students by providing 100 mil- grown in Guizhou’s verdant valleys, incredible speed that, individually, watch what we eat.” Despite drinking himself to a lion yuan annually. Meanwhile, Moutai there is the unsullied water of the they often manage to pack as many have to be very careful Professional tasters must have genuine standstill, he emerged has received many accolades for its Chishui River, which is protected as six bottles in a minute, averag- three years’ experience before the next day showing very lit- exemplary corporate citizenship. by the Chinese government. No ing 330,000 per day in total for the not to drink too much they can take the test to become tle evidence of his epic Moutai So next time you have an opportu- chemical factories are allowed to whole factory; to the bottle testers, a Moutai taster, and they are cru- moment. Moutai truly is a unique nity to partake of this liquid gold of open anywhere nearby to ensure who gently bang bottles together alcohol outside of cial to the process of ensuring spirit that leaves no trace, even if the highest standards with such a rich that the “Fine Liquor River” and, from the sound made, judge Moutai’s quality. The tasters are you overindulge. It does, though, history, don’t just think of the exqui- remains uncontaminated. whether or not the bottles are fi t work and watch what integral to the blending and stor- along with the town and region site taste. Remember how you and The wheat from which Moutai to be used for Moutai; then to ing process, which as Peng Jing in which it is produced, leave an Moutai are making a better, greener is produced is made into yeast via Kweichow Moutai’s team of profes- we eat.” explained, is what really gives the indelible memory. world one ganbei at a time. fermentation on the Dragon Boat sional tasters, who receive ongoing Peng Jing, deputy director of liquor liquor its value. Festival, which falls on the fi fth day training to ensure that their sensi- storage, Kweichow Moutai Moutai goes through nine The author is a copy editor with The author is a freelance writer from the of May on the Chinese Lunar calen- tive faculties continue to discern steaming and boiling sessions, China Daily. United States of America.