Spirits

Whisky or whiskey is a spirit made from fermented grains, typically corn, rye, wheat, and barley, and is always aged, predominantly in oak barrels. The story of its discovery provokes heated debates, since both Irish and Scots claim whisk... READ MORE

Scotch is the renowned whisky variety hailing from Scotland. Although it can be made with the addition of other grains or cereals, the original Scottish whisky has to be made with a base of water and malted barley—barley that has be... READ MORE

Vodka is a distillate that is mainly produced from fermented grains or potatoes, and even though many purists disagree, fruit or molasses can also be used. The base material can be distilled many times, and each distillation produces stro... READ MORE

Rum is an alcoholic beverage distilled from fermented sugarcane juice, molasses, syrup, or any other sugarcane by-products, although most of what we know as rum is made from molasses. Nowadays, most rum comes from the Caribbean, and the r... READ MORE

This strong spirit originated in a small city of Tequila and was modeled on mezcal. The highly prized, original tequila varieties are made exclusively from fermented juices of blue Weber agaves, while other categories - known as ... READ MORE

Gin is a clear, light-bodied spirit that owes its taste profile to a variety of spices (primarily juniper) which are added to the basic grain. Most producers usually avoid distilling their base spirit and prefer to buy supplies of neutral... READ MORE

Bourbon is an American whiskey that is primarily made from corn mash, the minimum requirement is 51%, while other options may include rye, barley, or wheat. Although most production is located in Kentucky, bourbon can technically be made ... READ MORE

This classic French brandy is distilled from grapes in order to produce eau-de-vie, which is then aged and blended to make cognac. The drink originated when it was revealed that eau-de-vie brandy of the Charente region develops d... READ MORE

Baijiu is a national Chinese drink that is distilled from fermented grains, usually sorghum, wheat, rice, sticky rice, and corn. Depending on raw materials, manufacturing process or starters, baijiu varieties can greatly differ in the fin... READ MORE

Shōchū is the most popular Japanese spirit that has been produced since the 16th century. It is distilled from fermented koji mold and various basic ingredients such as barley, sweet potatoes, rice, buckwheat, brown sugar, as wel... READ MORE

Italian grappa is distilled from fermented pomace—solid components of grapes that are left after the juice has been pressed. The taste profile of grappa varies, and each variety is distinguished for their unique character that depen... READ MORE

Korean soju is distilled from fermented rice, or optionally wheat, barley, sweet potatoes, or tapioca. It is believed that it initially appeared when Mongols introduced the distilling technique to the Koreans, sometime in the 13th century... READ MORE

Considered to be one of the first grape brandy varieties produced in France, Armagnac originated in Gascony, a historic area now divided between the regions of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie. The first written records on Armagnac date b... READ MORE

This smoky Mexican spirit is produced from agaves that are grown throughout the country, but the main territory of mezcal production is in Oaxaca. Mezcal is traditionally prepared with agave hearts that are roasted in earthen pits and are... READ MORE

This alcoholic beverage is produced with a base of a neutral spirit that is infused with a blend of botanicals, primarily the leaves of Artemisia absinthium, an ancient medicinal plant that is also known as wormwood or simply absinthe. Ot... READ MORE

Ireland was presumably the first country that introduced distillation, primarily to produce a clear distillate known as uisge beatha—which is generally considered to be a predecessor of modern-day whiskey. Only produced and matured ... READ MORE

London Dry gin style is a quality designation for a specific gin variety in which all the flavors have to be natural and added through distillation. This gin is also distilled from a neutral base spirit that is enriched with various botan... READ MORE

Cachaça is a popular Brazilian drink that is distilled from freshly pressed and fermented sugar cane juice. It is believed that the first varieties of cachaça were produced sometime at the beginning of the 17th century, and ... READ MORE

Arak is a clear, anise-flavored spirit that is predominately distilled from fermented grapes and is mainly enjoyed throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, primarily Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt. R... READ MORE

Believed to have been the first distilled beverage in Japan, awamori is almost exclusively associated with Okinawa. The drink is distilled from fermented long-grained rice and black koji mold, which is usually referenced as the k... READ MORE

Ouzo is one of the best-known Greek specialties whose large-scale production started in 1830. It is distilled from neutral alcohol that is diluted with water and flavored with a combination of aniseed and various botanicals, such as fenne... READ MORE

It is said that Greek winemakers in Asia Minor were the first to produce rakı—the anise-flavored spirit distilled from fermented grape pomace. However, it was in Türkiye that raki was heavily popularized, which led to a monopol... READ MORE

Considered to be a predecessor to gin, jenever is a Dutch spirit that was originally distilled from malt wine. Since the drink had a sharp and unusual flavor, it was often infused with various herbs, including juniper – whi... READ MORE

Tennessee whiskey is a label used for a specific type of whiskey produced in Tennessee that has to meet several quality and production standards. The production process is similar to bourbon, and the mash has to be made with 51% corn. Aft... READ MORE

This best-selling anise-based spirit was invented by Paul Ricard. He experimented with the distillation of fennel, anise and Provençal plants until he perfected the recipe in 1932, and started to market it as the real pastis of Marseill... READ MORE

Starka is an alcoholic beverage that is usually based on rye spirit. It dates back to the 15th century, and it is traditionally associated with Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus. Its origin is mostly connected to Polish noble families who wo... READ MORE

Metaxa is a popular Greek spirit that is made from brandy (usually produced from Savatino, Sultanina, and Black Corinth grapes), a secret combination of botanicals, and the aromatic and carefully selected Muscat wines from the island of S... READ MORE

This strong Greek spirit is distilled from pomace—solid components of grapes that are left after the juice has been pressed. According to some records, tsipouro was first produced in the 14th century by Orthodox monks. The drink com... READ MORE

Calvados is a brandy distilled from apple cider or a combination of apples and pears. The fermented juice is usually double distilled to create the base of the ... READ MORE

White, silver, or light rum are all used to describe a colorless type of rum that is often mistakenly thought to be un-aged. However, since rum is produced in numerous countries, the regulations are not clear-cut, and th... READ MORE

Hungarian pálinka is a fruit brandy distilled from various fermented fruit such as plums, apricots, or cherries. The name pálinka has been protected under European Union law, and can only be produced in Hungary from fruit gr... READ MORE

Pisco is a brandy that is distilled from the fermented grape juice. It was invented in the 16th century as a replacement for orujo—an ancient Spanish pomace brandy. Although it is also produced in Chile, Peruvian pisco resu... READ MORE

Rakija is a universal term used for various fruit brandies produced in several Balkan countries (Southeast Europe). This strong spirit is distilled from different fruit and is sometimes additionally flavored or used as a liqueur base. The... READ MORE

This shōchū variety is distilled from barley mash that has been fermented with koji mold. It is one of the most common shōchū varieties that is usually smooth, pleasant, and easy to drink. Unaged varieties are crisp, mild, and fresh, whil... READ MORE

Japanese single malt, blended malt, and blended whiskies were inspired and modeled on Scottish tradition. They are double distilled from malted barley, which is occasionally peated (dried over smoked peat) and fermented grains. The spirit is then ... READ MORE

Reposado is a tequila variety that has been aged for a minimum of two, and a maximum of twelve months, usually in French or American oak. This tequila is characterized by a pale golden color and mellow agave flavor. It is praised for its ... READ MORE

Blanco is a clear tequila variety that is usually not matured, and it is never colored. Soon after distillation, it is diluted to drinking strength, and it is then immediately bottled. This tequila shows a true agave character, especially... READ MORE

The use of sweet potatoes in the production of shōchū was introduced in the 1700s. The drink is produced by steaming, or occasionally grilling or baking whole potatoes, before they are fermented with koji mold. With over 40 different type... READ MORE

Dark rum is probably the most complex and confusing rum category. The term is often differently explained, but it is mostly used to classify longer-aged rum styles with more pronounced flavors. Although the color is primarily attained fro... READ MORE

Pisco is a drink that is distilled from fermented grape must and juices. It is considered a national drink in both Peru and Chile, but the style and the character of pisco can differ based on the location where it was created. Chilean pis... READ MORE

Islay is a Scottish island and one of the officially recognized Scottish whisky regions. There are nine operational distilleries on the island, and most of them produce strong, robust, smoky, and peated Scotch whisky, but there are also f... READ MORE

Šljivovica, internationally known as slivovitz, is a clear, potent drink that is distilled from fermented plums. It is produced throughout Central and Eastern Europe—namely Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, H... READ MORE