5 Global Spirits You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

You’ve heard of tequila, but have you tried Sotol? Or maybe you’ve had a stiff drink before breakfast, but not one like Denmark’s Gammel Dansk. These five spirits are like nothing you’ve had before—so grab a glass and ready your passports.

The world of spirits is replete with all manner of elixirs, some more welcoming and others taking a little more getting used to. You have, of course, your whiskies, your vodkas, and your gins, which most will know about, as well as your less ubiquitous liquors like absinthe or mezcal, but that’s only scratching the surface of what’s out there.

Take a glance around the world and you’ll find that many cultures have taken local ingredients, whether fruits, plants, or grains, combined them with time-honoured techniques, and distilled them into spirits you probably didn’t even know existed. And that’s precisely what this list is about. Here are five spirits from different corners of the globe that’ll leave you wondering what else the world of booze is hiding.

Singani

Distilled from Muscat of Alexandria grapes grown in the vineyards of the high Andes, typically at over 1600 metres above sea level, Singani sits proudly as Bolivia’s signature grape spirit. It has a protected status, being declared a Geographical Indication (GI), and occupies an important role in Bolivian culture, featuring heavily in national festivals, religious holidays, weddings, birthdays, and the like. With its floral, subtly fruity notes, it’s an eminently drinkable spirit that is definitely on the more delicate side of the spectrum.

Sotol

A wild-harvested Mexican spirit made from the Dasylirion plant (aka “desert spoon”), Sotol is primarily produced in Chihuahua, Durango, and Coahuila. The plant takes between eight to 15 years to mature, and yields are low at typically only one bottle per plant. Once mature, the heart (piña) of the plant is harvested and the leaves are removed. The core is then roasted (often in pits lined with lava rock or fired wood), after which it is crushed, fermented, and frequently double-distilled. The flavour varies wildly by terroir, sporting anything from bright, grassy, and herbal nuances to earthy, leathery, and peppery undertones.

Lakka

Lakka is a Finnish liqueur flavoured with wild Arctic cloudberries that are hand-harvested in bogs and swamps, and is named after the Finnish word for cloudberry. Once the cloudberries are harvested, they’re macerated in alcohol for a period of two to six months, after which sugar is added to sweeten the deal. Its rich amber-honey colour visually illustrates a bittersweet taste that pairs well with coffee or works swimmingly in a cocktail.

Aragh Sagi

Aragh Sagi (roughly meaning “doggy distillate”) is an Iranian moonshine distilled from fermented raisins or dates. Typically around 45%-55% ABV, it can get up to as high as 70%-90% in homemade versions. While you can expect wide variations in quality, those on the higher end of the scale have been likened by some to grappa. The 1979 Revolution may have put an end to the legal production of aragh sagi, but still, it lives on, available for purchase in altogether more illicit markets.

Gammel Dansk

Our last stop on this list is Denmark, where we’ve arrived to take a closer look at Gammel Dansk, a bitters liquor that is deeply embedded in Danish culture. Traditionally drunk by Danes on certain festive occasions, it’s also not an uncommon sight to see it enjoyed over a hearty breakfast or brunch. It has a distinctive herbal flavour, one that houses a lot of complexity owing to the multitude of herbs, spices, and citrus peels that go into its production. Definitely the sort of drink you’d best take a sip of before committing to a glass.