Maotai Town

Maotai town sits in a hot narrow valley on the Chishui river, and the baijiu made here has been distilled by the same method for centuries: sorghum and wheat fermented in stone pits with a starter culture, distilled repeatedly over most of a year through several rounds, then aged for years before blending. Producers hold that the valley's microclimate, water and resident microbes cannot be reproduced elsewhere, which is the basis for the claim that authentic maotai is possible only here. The result is a sauce-aroma spirit around fifty-three percent alcohol, and the company that makes it has been among the most valuable in China.

What to look for

• The distilleries - the valley given almost entirely to production.
• The stone fermentation pits - the traditional method still in use.
• The river valley - the hot enclosed setting held to matter to the process.
• The company museum - the history and method displayed in town.

When to go

October to April; the valley is very hot in summer, which is part of the process but uncomfortable for visiting. Production follows an annual cycle tied to the lunar calendar.

Before you go

Working distilleries are mostly closed to visitors, so the museum is the main access. The town is industrial and not scenic. Counterfeit bottles are a well-known problem locally.

Nearby

Zunyi lies southeast; Chishui is northwest.

Key facts