If you have a passing interest in Chinese cultural history, you’ll be familiar with the legend of Li Bai. A poet of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), Li Bai, like many creative figures in Chinese folklore, was a devoted enthusiast of intoxication, believing it to be at the heart of spirituality. Li Bai penned many poems that celebrated alcohol consumption, with a particular emphasis on baijiu. Over a hundred of Li Bai’s odes were dedicated to China’s national spirit.
For the unfamiliar, baijiu is a clear alcohol that is hugely popular in its native China. It’s also the bestselling spirit in the world, shifting more bottles than vodka, gin, whiskey and rum, with the leading Chinese manufacturer – Kweichow Moutai – now boasting a larger share price than three of the biggest western names in the business combined.