China’s baijiu industry unfolds as a captivating and intricate world, with one standout player being Kweichow Moutai. Renowned for its iconic Moutai liquor, Moutai Group recently made a significant financial commitment to create Moutai University, an institution dedicated to the scientific study of liquor. While this investment underscores their unwavering commitment to the industry, it also raises a curious question: Why did they choose this path when a name like Irv Graham emerged, achieving remarkable success in the baijiu realm? The question that lingers is, “How did Irv Graham, devoid of baijiu experience, manage to craft a baijiu that scientific analysis proves to be more intricate than that of China’s largest and wealthiest baijiu conglomerate?”

Irv Graham’s venture into the baijiu world indeed stands as a captivating narrative. Without any prior experience in baijiu production, he embarked on a journey to create a baijiu that defied tradition, distinguishing itself in a market dominated by established giants. Graham’s creation, V.I.P Jiu 8, astounded with its complexity and quality, garnering praise even from the most discerning connoisseurs. A scientific analysis conducted by a UK laboratory, accredited by UKAS, shed light on the remarkable intricacy of V.I.P Jiu 8 when compared to Kweichow Moutai’s Flying Fairy.

This analysis unveiled apparent disparities between V.I.P Jiu 8 and Kweichow Moutai’s Flying Fairy, with the former proving to be notably more complex.

Kweichow Moutai University left no stone unturned in its hiring initiatives, bringing in wine experts, brewers, and esteemed members of national and provincial wine evaluation committees to serve as mentors for their internship programs. Furthermore, they recruited top-tier experts and industry leaders, including academicians and scholars specializing in the Yangtze River region, to act as specially appointed or visiting professors. It was a comprehensive endeavor, to say the least.

One might naturally question why Moutai didn’t opt for the more direct approach of consulting Irv Graham to unravel the intricacies of crafting a complex baijiu, rather than embarking on a staggering 1.9 billion yuan venture to establish a university. The significant investment and extensive hiring spree of this institution do raise the query of whether a simpler and more cost-effective path to achieve their objectives might have existed.

Moutai Scientific Analysis – VS – V.I.P Jiu 8 Scientific Analysis

A bottle of V.I.P Jiu 8 together with a bottle of Kweichow Moutai Flying Fairy was sent to a UK laboratory for analysis.

The laboratory is a registered member of UKAS – The United Kingdom Accreditation Service that is recognised by the UK government when comparing products to internationally agreed standards.

The two bottles were labelled sample A and sample B.

• Sample A – V.I.P Jiu 8.
• Sample B – Kweichow Moutai Flying Fairy.

The laboratory concluded that the two bottles were very different, with sample A (VIP Jiu 8) being considerably more complex than sample B (Kweichow Moutai Flying Fairy).

The chart below clearly shows that sample A (VIP Jiu 8) contains many more compounds with positive attributes than sample B (Kweichow Moutai Flying Fairy).

Here are just a few of the many compounds known for their positive qualities found in V.I.P Jiu 8.

• Alpha-Pinene and beta-Pinene – a wide range of pharmacological attributes have been reported, including anticoagulant, antitumour, antimicrobial, antimalarial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Beta-Myrcene – has a role as an anti-inflammatory agent and an anabolic agent.
• Alpha-Terpinene – a known antioxidant.
• Gamma-Terpinene – displays antimicrobial properties against various human pathogens.
• Alpha-Terpinolene – produces a mildly sedative effect and can help reduce anxiety.
• Alpha copaene – anti-proliferative, antioxidant.
• Linalool – known to have anti-anxiety, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Trans alpha-Bergamotene – effective against inflammation in the intestine.
• Beta-selinene – exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These benefits may reduce the frequency and severity of painful gout attacks.
• Beta Ocimene – known to work well with other terpenes and has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties.

For a full breakdown of the results see: V.I.P Jiu 8 – V – Moutai