World Whisky

World Whisky

World whiskey is a label that essentially identifies whisky types from countries outside the whisky leaders of Ireland, the US, Scotland and Japan. It’s a catch-all phrase for smaller whisky producing countries and the only way to escape its labelling is when a country’s output becomes so popular that it needs its own category name. Japan is a very good example of a country that moved from a non-whisky producing country to one that is seen to be a leader in the innovation and distillation of its whisky in a way that is distinctly of Japan. 

Most other countries in the World Whisky grouping don’t have the volume or a distinct national whisky identity that a category requires to be grouped solely under its own country’s name.  Sweden is a very good example of this. The Swedish whisky industry is growing fast and has some very popular and successful brands, but it doesn’t yet have the national identity of a singular whisky-producing country that is doing something specifically Swedish with its production. But it does have great whisky.

High Coast distillery produces a superb range of own-brand whisky distilled, matured and bottled in the pristine wilderness of the Swedish coast. High Coast American Oak, for example, is one of its earlier bottlings. It’s a 50.8% non-age statement release that has been matured solely in American oak. This Swedish single malt sits very comfortably among the distillery’s range. This includes bottles such as High Coast Quercus IV Mongolica, another 50.8% single malt which in this case has been matured in a rare Asian oak.  

Other dominant World Whisky countries include India which has seen a rise in the popularity of Indian-based producers. One of the most well known of these is Amrut Distillery which was founded in 1948. Based in Bangalore, this prestigious distillery creates and matures a series of award-winning and popular single malts in the Scottish style. 

A newer distillery in India that is making waves on the World Whisky stage is Paul John Whisky. Its main distillery is in Goa, where it operates underground maturation warehouses to protect from the heat and high humidity the region experiences. Using five-row barley and peat from Islay and Aberdeen it creates a series of fine single malts and blended whisky releases. 

Whisky distillation is growing among European countries also. In Germany you will find Sylars Distillery in Bavaria which considers itself a pioneer in the category. In France too, small operators like Celtic Whisky Distillerie in Northern Brittany are making a lot of noise with their experimental and innovative releases. Countries in the UK fall into the World Whisky category also. The Cotswolds Distillery in England, for example, is a new and young whisky producer attempting to push the English whisky scene ahead.