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Whiskey in America is no longer exclusive to just Kentucky and Tennessee. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that it’s not just a Scottish and Irish thing. In fact, the spirit has recently become a global phenomenon with countries from every continent, each one offering top-notch and competent local products. This likely happened due to the loosening local laws around alcohol, brewing, and distilleries and a desire to create something big and recognizable locally to rival the big whiskey players. The up-and-coming countries include India, Italy, South Africa, and Spain.
Indian Whisky
This may come as a surprise to some, but the Indian whisky industry is huge. Did you know that 8 of the top 10 best selling whiskey brands in a 2015 competition were made in India? Only the unbeatable Jack Daniel’s and Johnnie Walker have managed to stay on the list. The funny thing about Indian whiskey is that it can’t be labeled as “whiskey” when sold in Europe. Instead, it’s called a “spirit drink and that’s because of how the spirit is made. Almost all Indian whiskey is made by blending spirit distilled from fermented molasses, think rum, with either pre-blended Scotch whiskey or grain whiskey. While blended whiskey is the most popular type of spirit coming from India, single malt is slowly gaining its popularity as well, with at least three different brands being sold commercially all over the world. Among single malts, Amrut Fusion is an excellent place to start.
Italian Whiskey
While not as popular as Indian, Italian whiskey is known for its malts. The most well known of all is likely the Puni Italian malt whiskey that’s also Italy’s first single malt. Released in 2012, Puni malts have already established themselves among avid whiskey enthusiasts. Puni Novais matured in bourbon barrels for three years and finished in European oak casks. Puni Alba is matured in Marsala dessert wine casks for two years and in Islay casks for the last year. The attention to every minor detail of both the process and product presentation is truly impressive. No wonder these Italian distillers are becoming world-famous so fast!
South African Whisky
Awarded the World’s Best Grain Whiskey of 2018, South African whiskey is getting more and more recognized by the general public. Grown exclusively from 100% South African grown corn, the spirit undergoes a double maturation for five years. It spends the first three years in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels and then moved to another set of identical first fill barrels for another two. Despite being bottled at a very young age, the whiskey is incredibly smooth, thanks to the summer temperatures of 100 degrees F and above. Creamy quality with tropical scents of vanilla, cooked banana, and cocoa, it’s definitely worth a try, especially considering how affordable their world-class whiskey is!
Spanish Whisky
The whiskey made in Spain follows a process that’s quite similar to the world-famous Scotch whiskey. In fact, Spain’s most famous Nomad Outland Whisky is first mixed and matured in Sherry butts in Scotland for three years before being shipped back to Spain to be finished in Pedro Ximenez casks for another year. The distiller, Antonio Flores, has decided that this would add an enticing expression to the spirit. What can we say, he wasn’t wrong about that! As you can see, there are plenty more to choose from than just Scotch, Irish and American spirits. If you’ve never tried whiskey from anywhere but the top 3 producers and call yourself a whiskey enthusiast, so be it, however, if you feel like expanding your horizons and trying something new, check out and buy a bottle of the finest international whiskey at ZYN in Calgary, Alberta, Canada or buy online at ZYN.ca!
