Did you know that Shanghai held its first ever vintage Moutai auction over the weekend? On Sunday, over a hundred bottles of the top shelf baijiu sold for a total of 5.22 million. Most of the Moutai was brewed during the 1970s and 1980s, but there was one Five Star Maotai, bottled in 1955, that was listed for 1.26 million RMB. Unfortunately, it seems that even Chinese people won't pay much to drink the stuff. It didn't get sold. more ›

If you are familiar with drinking heavily or going to Chinese banquets (basically the same thing), you've probably been forced to chug try some Maotai. Deemed "China's national liquor" by Reuters, Maotai or máotáijiǔ (茅台酒) is one of the most famous brands of Chinese rice wine (or báijiǔ). Although dignitaries like Margaret Thatcher and Richard Nixon have put this put-hair-on-your-chest drink to their conservative lips, the popular liquor is now threatened. You see, Maotai is... more ›