Let’s just get this out of the way: Moutai, the Chinese baijiu brand whose market ubiquity in its homeland rivals that of rice and filial piety, is now officially the world’s most valuable spirits brand for 2025. Again. According to the new Brand Finance Spirits 50 report, Moutai hit a valuation of USD58.4 billion, cementing its status as the Everest of global liquor branding—unassailable, dizzyingly high, and, for the uninitiated, a little opaque.
Now, for those not already acquainted with the opaque sorghum-and-mysticism magic of baijiu, this may feel like being told that the number-one spirit in the world smells like fermented peanuts and scorched sugar cane. But make no mistake: Moutai’s dominance isn’t an accident—it’s a case study in cultural saturation and strategic global expansion done with a kind of relentless precision you might expect from a military campaign or a Beijing subway schedule.
Domestically, Moutai has ridden high on the success of initiatives like the Moutai Wine Festival and the Red Sorghum Harvest Season—events that sound folkloric but are, in reality, slick exercises in heritage marketing and nationalist nostalgia. Internationally, its “One Country, One Strategy” plan has taken root in 66 countries, with impressive results. This dual-front approach has kept Moutai at the top of the value charts and earned it the rank of second-strongest spirits brand globally, boasting a Brand Strength Index (BSI) of 92.4 out of 100 and an elite AAA+ rating.
But the real story might be bigger than Moutai itself: Six of the world’s top eight most valuable spirits brands are Chinese baijiu labels. Read that again. It’s a seismic shift that would’ve been unthinkable in a whiskey-dominated hierarchy just a decade ago. Wuliangye, Luzhou Laojiao, Xinghuacun Fen Wine, Yanghe, and Gujing Gong Jiu round out the baijiu brigade in the global top tier.
Wuliangye also takes the number three slot in global brand strength, with a BSI of 91.0, suggesting the gap between Western familiarity and Chinese influence is narrowing—fast.
That said, Brand Finance’s research reveals a fascinating contradiction: Chinese consumers remain more likely to drink Western spirits, despite being more familiar with their native baijiu brands. It’s a market polarization driven by premiumisation pressures—the big baijiu names are luxurious, ceremonial, aspirational—while Western spirits remain mixable, casual, and accessible.
So while baijiu ascends in global value, tequila has claimed the ultimate bragging right in brand strength. Mexico’s Don Julio, ranked 15th overall in value, has been named the world’s strongest spirits brand for 2025, with a near-perfect BSI score of 94.2/100 and a shiny AAA+ to match. Eight spirits brands globally now carry that AAA+ rating, according to the data—an elite club that cuts across continents and categories, from whiskey to rum to ready-to-drink cans.
The story here is not just about valuation, but transformation—of tastes, markets, and global influence. As China’s domestic consumption slows due to pandemic aftershocks and tighter regulation, the international baijiu era may just be beginning.
Top 50 Most Valuable Spirits Brands in the World (2025)
| Rank | Brand | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moutai | China |
| 2 | Wuliangye | China |
| 3 | Luzhou Laojiao | China |
| 4 | Xinghuacun Fen Wine | China |
| 5 | Hennessy | France |
| 6 | Yanghe | China |
| 7 | Jack Daniel’s | United States |
| 8 | Gujing Gong Jiu | China |
| 9 | Bacardi | Bermuda |
| 10 | Johnnie Walker | United Kingdom |
| 11 | Smirnoff | Russia |
| 12 | Crown Royal | Canada |
| 13 | Patrón | Mexico |
| 14 | Guoyuan | China |
| 15 | Don Julio | Mexico |
| 16 | High Noon | United States |
| 17 | The Macallan | United Kingdom |
| 18 | Absolut | Sweden |
| 19 | Emperador | Philippines |
| 20 | Baileys | Ireland |
| 21 | Chivas Regal | United Kingdom |
| 22 | Ruang Khao | Thailand |
| 23 | Grey Goose | France |
| 24 | Aperol | Italy |
| 25 | Royal Stag | India |
| 26 | Jameson | Ireland |
| 27 | Ballantine’s | United Kingdom |
| 28 | Casamigos | United States |
| 29 | José Cuervo | Mexico |
| 30 | Captain Morgan | Jamaica |
| 31 | Chamisul | South Korea |
| 32 | Suntory Whisky | Japan |
| 33 | McDowell’s | India |
| 34 | Bombay Sapphire | United Kingdom |
| 35 | Martell | France |
| 36 | Shede | China |
| 37 | Kweichow Zhenjiu | China |
| 38 | Rémy Martin | France |
| 39 | Ginebra San Miguel | Philippines |
| 40 | Gordon’s | United Kingdom |
| 41 | Martini | Italy |
| 42 | Kouzi Distillery | China |
| 43 | Jägermeister | Germany |
| 44 | Imperial | India |
| 45 | Twisted Tea | United States |
| 46 | Sichuan Swellfun | China |
| 47 | Yingjia | China |
| 48 | Yeni Rakı | Türkiye |
| 49 | Nikka | Japan |
| 50 | Campari | Italy |
