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Kweichow Moutai: China’s ‘national schnapps’ on the rise

Baijiu is the most popular alcoholic drink in China and Moutai the most famous brand, with a similar status to vodka in Russia or tequila in Mexico. Its origins go back over 2,000 years to the time of Emperor Wu of Han. These days, the national drink is frequently served at official state banquets and is used as the official state gift. Its protected source is the village of Maotai in the Guizhou province on the banks of the Chishui, the Red River. These days, more than 30,000 tons of the 53 percent alcohol Moutai are produced. In cooperation with Camus, a limited edition was launched as an homage to the greatest poets: after Li Bai in 2013, Du Fu followed in 2018. The elegant bottle showing a painting of a poem is made from the finest porcelain.

Traditional methods are used for the distillation of regional raw materials: organic sorghum and wheat and the best water. Fermentation takes place at high temperatures. During the production process, which takes a year, fresh grain is added twice to the boilers, then several boiling and fermentation processes take place. Every batch of the distillate is separated according to age, production cycle and aroma. It then matures slowly in terracotta containers and, during the storage period of at least five years, develops a fine soya aroma. Master blenders make sure that the characteristic, full flavour is preserved. The secret lies in the humid climate, the water from the Chishui, as well as in the distillation technique and maturing period.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kweichou Moutai Du Fu Edition.

Taunus Gin: Premium Dry Gin from the Taunus

Roland Braza describes his awaking as: “If parallel to the spiritual there is something like an alcoholic con-sciousness, then mine is made of gin. Sunsets where there were none and sunrises you wouldn’t expect. My silent companion in a glass was with me at the bar, next to me in bed in the morning and has enhanced many a balmy summer evening. The initial spark came at a distilling seminar in Austria, which my beloved wife had given me as a Christmas present many years before, and it led to me founding my own distillery. Laborious tests had the aim of creating a gin whose character expresses the naturalness of the Taunus forests. Fortu-nately, it worked!”

His experience as a hunter and the closeness to nature inspired Roland Braza to choose a woody, bitter aro-ma. Natural ingredients from the region are used. The most elementary ingredient is fresh, young spruce shoots which, together with additional organic botanicals and organic alcohol, create an original forest charac-ter. There are now three varieties – the Heritage Edition with the original recipe, the milder and at the same time ‘woodier’ Dark Forest Edition with a delicate hint of lemon balm and an aroma of mountain ash berries, as well as the Premium Dry Gin Golden Oak, which is stored in new oak barrels from Tokaj. All are produced on site in small batches at the Oberursel distillery and carefully bottled by hand.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for TAUNUS DRY GIN Ursel Dark Forest, TAUNUS DRY GIN Ursel Golden Oak and TAUNUS DRY GIN Ursel Heritage.