Unique Liquors to Try by Country

When pouring a glass of liquor, it’s easy to grab an old favourite from the drinks trolley. Whisky, rum, gin, vodka? Or maybe a Cognac? But many other regional spirits exist—hugely popular in their homelands and becoming more widespread elsewhere.

Many iconic spirits originated from people historically utilising the raw ingredients available to them to make alcohol—barley in Scotland, grapes in France, agave plants in Mexico and so on. Others are intriguing results of colonisation or even medical research.

Next time you reach for a spirit after a hard day or stir up a cocktail, get your exploring boots on and take your taste buds on a flavour journey around the globe. Now is the time to investigate—without having to reach for your passport.

Here are some must-try, often overlooked treasures to broaden your palate.

Brazil | Cachaça

Cachaça is as Brazilian as football, Carnival and samba. Often called ‘Brazilian rum’, it’s not to be confused with its Caribbean counterparts. Only fresh sugar cane juice is used in production, which is governed by strict regulations. The resulting aromatic, zesty and herbaceous spirit is consumed neat or within the world-famous and refreshing Caipirinha cocktail.

This simple, rustic drink has been cachaça’s springboard into the mainstream. Many bar menus now feature modern twists on the Caipirinha, but it’s hard to beat the classic. Thought to have originated in the 19th century as a ‘medicinal drink’ to combat vitamin C deficiency among European settlers, it’s since become a global favourite.

The Caipirinha is best made directly in the glass. Add fresh lime wedges and fine sugar to a tumbler and crush with a muddler or spoon. The sugar’s abrasive nature helps release oils from the peel, adding extra flavour. Fill with ice cubes, add a generous measure of cachaça and stir. Then sit back, sip and savour.

Cachaça (pronounced ka-shas-sa) has been produced in Brazil for nearly 500 years, following the introduction of sugar cane by the Portuguese in the mid-1500s. The name is thought to come from the word ‘cagaça’, an alcoholic foam that forms on fermented sugar cane juice.

China | Baijiu

Baijiu is a clear Chinese spirit and the most consumed liquor in the world by volume. In fact, more baijiu is distilled each year than all the world’s gin, rum, Tequila, vodka and whisky combined. The name baijiu (pronounced bye-joo) literally translates as ‘clear liquor’, and the drink is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture.

It’s made primarily from sorghum, a millet-style cereal and the world’s fifth most cultivated crop. Other grains can also be used. Fermentation occurs in open pits or jars and is activated by qu, a starter culture made from grain, fungi and microorganisms unique to each distillery. The result is a spirit with an unmistakable, punchy character that’s earthy, funky and unlike anything else on the bar.

Thought to have originated over 2,000 years ago as a medicinal tonic, baijiu was later referenced by poets during the Tang dynasty around 850 AD. Today, traditional etiquette calls for baijiu to be served neat, at room temperature and in small cups, although younger drinkers increasingly enjoy it chilled or mixed into cocktails.

Baijiu is also appearing on more Western bar menus as adventurous drinkers and bartenders look to explore its complex flavour profile. Time to try? Definitely—1.4 billion people can’t all be wrong.

Peru | Pisco

Pisco is a brandy made from fermented grape juice, often compared to grappa. However, it’s more akin to Cognac—also made by distilling white wine, just without any ageing. Peru is most associated with Pisco, although it’s also produced in neighbouring Chile.

The spirit isn’t native to South America but was introduced by Spanish colonists in the 16th century. It’s named after the Peruvian town of Pisco, once an important port and cultural hub for the Spanish Empire. Aguardiente de Pisco (literally ‘firewater of Pisco’) was exported back to Spain, where its popularity grew.

Today, Pisco is a favourite among modern bartenders and is often used in contemporary craft cocktails. Its most famous serve is the Pisco Sour—a silky, citrusy cocktail that’s become iconic. Rumoured to have been created by American expat Victor Morris in a Lima bar, the Pisco Sour is a twist on the classic Whiskey Sour.

To make one, combine pisco and freshly squeezed lime juice (2:1 ratio) with a dash of sugar syrup and one egg white in a shaker. Shake vigorously, add ice, shake again until chilled and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a few dashes of Angostura bitters.

Japan | Shōchū

Often living in the shadow of sake on the global stage, shōchū is Japan’s true national spirit, consumed far more frequently by locals than sake itself. Lower in alcohol than most liquors (usually 20–25%), it’s subtle, versatile and deeply woven into everyday Japanese life.

Made using ingredients like barley (mugi), sweet potato (imo) or rice (kome), shōchū’s production depends heavily on regional traditions. It’s distilled rather than brewed (unlike sake), resulting in a cleaner, drier profile. It’s enjoyed in countless ways: neat, on the rocks, mixed with water (mizuwari), or even with hot water (oyuwari).

Shōchū’s origins date back over 500 years, particularly in the southern islands of Kyushu, where cross-cultural influence from China and Korea shaped its development. Each variety brings its own flavour—from the earthiness of imo to the light nuttiness of mugi.

It’s a bartender’s favourite in Tokyo’s cocktail bars, and increasingly making its way into Western drinks cabinets. Curious? Try a classic mugi shōchū on the rocks, and prepare to rethink what a nightcap can be.

Switzerland | Absinthe

This infamous green spirit has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance over the past two decades. Absinthe is made using herbs and medicinal plants, most notably wormwood, along with fennel, hyssop and green anise. Its name comes from Artemisia absinthium, the Latin name for wormwood.

Created in the late 18th century by French physician Pierre Ordinaire in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, absinthe found fame 100 years later as the drink of choice for Parisian bohemians—writers, poets and painters such as Toulouse-Lautrec and Van Gogh. Its high alcohol strength and rumoured hallucinogenic effects gave it a reputation for debauchery, leading to bans across much of the Western world by the 1920s.

But absinthe is back. Legal again, and thriving. While it can be drunk neat, it’s most commonly used in small quantities to add depth and complexity to cocktails. A prime example is the Sazerac, which uses absinthe as a glass rinse before the drink is built.

No longer the spirit of scandal—it’s now the bartender’s secret weapon.

Georgia | Chacha

Often dubbed ‘Georgian grappa’, chacha is a fiery, clear spirit made by distilling the leftover grape skins, seeds and stems from winemaking. It’s potent stuff—usually around 40–60% ABV—and deeply embedded in Georgian culture. Traditionally homemade in villages across the country, it’s a staple at family feasts and celebratory toasts.

The name chacha comes from the Georgian word for ‘grape pomace’, and while it was once viewed as moonshine, the last couple of decades have seen a wave of premium, artisanal bottlings that have elevated it to sipping status. Some producers even age it in oak or infuse it with herbs and fruits for a twist on the classic.

Drunk neat and typically in a small glass, chacha is often chased with bites of salty cheese or pickled vegetables. If you ever find yourself at a Georgian supra (feast), don’t be surprised if a toastmaster starts pouring it liberally between speeches.

It’s a spirit that’s as much about ritual and community as it is about flavour, and it packs a punch.

Haiti | Clairin

Clairin is the untamed spirit of Haiti—raw, rustic and packed with character. Think of it as rum’s wilder cousin. Made from fresh sugarcane juice (not molasses) and wild fermentation with native yeasts, clairin is produced in tiny distilleries, often with methods unchanged for generations.

Unlike most commercial rums, clairin is hyper-local. Each batch reflects the specific terroir, sugarcane variety, and even the quirks of the open-air fermentation. It’s a bit like natural wine in spirit form—cloudy, punchy and proudly unfiltered. Expect grassy, earthy notes with an occasional funky edge that rum connoisseurs absolutely love.

Clairin is traditionally consumed neat in Haiti, often straight from the still in rural villages. But it’s now gaining cult status among bartenders worldwide, who use it to add complexity to tropical cocktails or reimagine classics like the Daiquiri with a wilder twist.

If you like your spirits full of soul, story and serious flavour, Clairin might just be your new obsession.