To celebrate the success of Kweichow Moutai’s unforgettable presence at last month’s inaugural Virtual Travel Retail Expo, courtesy of the famous baijiu brand’s international representative Camus, we proudly bring you a reprise of The Spirit of China, a special issue of The Moodie Davitt Spotlight Series eZine .
[In this video masterclass played in the Virtual Expo’s Engagement Lounge, Jim Boyce, the founder of World Baijiu Day, outlines the history of baijiu, its fermentation process and a guide to how best to enjoy the spirit. He is followed by Camus Director – Chinese Spirits Judal Zhao, who details the art of toasting, and explains the fascinating culture behind baijiu drinking at Chinese banquets. Click to view.]
Introduction: For thousands of years, the Chishui River has been gently wending its way through the picturesque mountainous countryside of Guizhou province, China. Locals talk in reverential terms about its majesty, its pristine waters, its place in Chinese history and, perhaps most importantly of all, the magical qualities it bestows on the famous baijiu spirit of the region, Kweichow Moutai.
Over 9,000 kilometres away in southwestern France, the Charente river flows for 381 kilometres from the tiny village of Chéronnac through the departments of Haute-Vienne, Charente, Vienne and CharenteMaritime before spilling into the Atlantic Ocean near Rochefort.
There is history aplenty here too. The oldest ports along the river date from the Gallo-Roman period as the Charente became the principal commercial route between the French hinterland and the Atlantic coast. In days gone by, heavy flat-bottomed sailing barges known as gabarres transported eaux-de-vie from France’s most-revered brandy-producing area, Cognac, to the seaports, returning with salt from the Île de Ré.
The two towns’ common bonds found shared human and commercial expression in 2003 when Cyril Camus, the young and newly appointed President of family-owned Cognac house Camus, visited Maotai on a mission to secure the global distribution rights to Kweichow Moutai. It was to prove a landmark encounter that would pave the way for a highly successful long-term partnership between two contrasting entities, an independent French family firm and one of China’s most illustrious state enterprises.
This special publication reveals how shared values have bound the two enterprises together over a mutually rewarding 15-year alliance. We explore those values, while examining the stirring history and tradition of Moutai, one of the world’s greatest spirit brands – and its most financially valuable.
It’s a compelling story. The Moodie Davitt Report is honoured to tell it. – Martin Moodie, Founder & Chairman
