Kweichow Moutai - Luxury Liqueur: Anyone ever taste it?

Sounds really intriguing. Anyone ever try it?

“When Costco opened its first store in China in 2019, it wasn’t just the hot rotisserie chickens and discounted Birkin bags that lured frenzied crowds. A fiery, throat-tingling liquor called Kweichow Moutai also flew off shelves.

At 1,498 yuan, or $209 for a half-liter bottle, it might not sound like the kind of bargain Costco shoppers usually go for — but in this case, it absolutely was. That price represented a steep discount over Moutai sold elsewhere — that is, if you could get your hands on it. The luxury spirit is so beloved in China, it sold out quickly.”

It’s readily available in Cali. Tastes disgusting (my friends call it jet fuel). Besides the status symbol, there’s really no allure.

The silver label, Moutai Pure Joy, is shockingly good though. Aromatic and fruity, reminds me of a sweet Riesling at times.

I find it highly enjoyable, especially the traditional way: lots of spicy food on the table and lots of friends/family toasting each other with those little cups. It is in my view much superior to sake for this purpose. First discovered it while traveling in Guizhou (the modern rendering of Kweichow), the Chinese province where this comes from. The thing about Moutai vs. just about any other brand of baijiu (literally white/clear alcohol) is that it is much cleaner tasting and much less likely to leave you with a terrible hangover the next day

My apologies to those who love it.

Moutai is probably the single most disgusting thing I have ever put into my mouth. Hard to describe, but the smell is so off putting that it takes phenomenal will power to taste it. I had it once in Chinatown and surreptitiously spat it out into my tea cup.

But I was invited as a judge to Beijing to taste wine. However, when we arrived, the first morning was devoted to Moutai. Twenty samples of the bloody stuff. Each more disgusting than the last, the best being the one that come from the can, where the tinny overlay may have disguised the truly nasty flavors.

The Chinese judges were able to judge properly, and knew what they were doing. The ones from Europe and America had absolutely no idea what they were tasting, and like me were terrified by it. So the organizers charted a plane from the provinces, and brought in an old gentleman from pre Mao times. He talked for well over an hour, and every five minutes, the translator would précis this into two sentences. Of course it made no difference to us with the second batch of twenty Maotais. I think they finally gave up on us.

It’s an acquired taste, at best. Unfortunately, I acquired the taste for moutai at banquets while working in Beijing (drinking prowess is an important part of the experience). I am drinking Moutai Prince now, which I acquired from a board member a while ago. Made by Kweichow, but aged for a shorter period

It’s a harsh, alcoholic (53.26%) beverage with a stink that only sorghum can provide. I agree with Yao in that it’s a great foil for spicy foods with lots of people. I disagree that it’s less likely to give you a hangover.
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Gotta say I’m aligned with Curtis on this one. I’ve got a “dusty” with this bottle, originally a gift from some good Chinese friends. I have had it for 10 years, and it’s probably closer to paint thinner than lighter fluid. I drink a shot when friends get riffed. Happy to say, I still have half a bottle.
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David Kolin was nice enough to send me a bottle, and I finally tasted it with my servers after the pub closed last Friday night.

Wow. The initial taste on the palate was surprisingly soft, and obviously high alcohol, but not as hot as I expected. Then that oily/kerosene taste took over. Holy shit, it took hours to get rid of that taste in my mouth.

I didn’t get home until 9:30 that night, and my better half had opened a 2010 Burgundy I had standing up on the kitchen counter for a day. If I had known my palate would be destroyed for the evening, I would have opened something different, but too late. Brushed my teeth a couple times to be able to at least taste the wine, but holy shit, that flavor didn’t leave my mouth for another day.

Guessing this should be in the freezer for any future tastes.

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Sounds like you’d enjoy some Malort.

Moutai makes Malort taste like fruit punch

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My relatives love Moutai and I ended up buying a few for such occasions for the family. I am not a big fan of Moutai but I do drink whenever the elders pour as I sign of respect.
On a positive note, Moutai doesn’t leave me with a bad hangover even it contains a very high alcohol content.

I have gone through a LOT of Kweichow Moutai (and other versions of the drink) while in China. It is, as some stated, an acquired taste. I don’t mind it too much. As a guest of honor at many events, I’ve had to toast and be toasted, so no way around it. Like Eugene states, above, I rarely have much if any of a hangover. I have a dozen bottles or so at home for whenever Chinese guests stay with us (which is not much during these Covid times).

By the way, what I find worse than Moutai are two concoctions (I don’t know the names of either): one is fermented (and I presume distilled) yak milk. The other is a drink made by fermenting the “velvet” from deer antlers. The latter is said to be good for “men’s problems.” Whatever.

I like it a lot in context but ‘luxury’ is not the first word that comes to mind, it’s more like drinking barbed wire.

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Holy crap -
I can’t remember where I was but in the last month or two someone poured me some of this from their freezer. Said someone that went to China gave it to them. Hollllly shit it was horrific

Didn’t the CEO of the company get convicted of bribery/corruption and sentenced to life?

That was for producing it. [smileyvault-ban.gif]

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:joy::joy::joy:

Happy to pour you some on Tuesday.

Please…… don’t.
:joy:

Got 2 bottles of this as a gift. I think it is a similar witches brew. Tremendously offputting on the nose. Strong stench of manure to the point where your body is already cringing in anticipation before your mouth even opens. I thought the palate was much kinder, a floral essence of sorts. No one would drink it but me. We passed on the remaining 3/4 bottle to the staff at the Chinese restaurant I had brought it to. They acted like I had just given them a bottle of Petrus.
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You guys are missing the boat, this is all about proper pairing.

This beverage should be paired with Durian, Kiviak, and Su Gallu.