Seven Fifty Daily: The 9 Best World Whiskeys, According to Beverage Pros

Beverage directors and bartenders pick their favorite whiskey from lesser-known whiskey-producing countries, from a Taiwanese gold standard to a hard-to-find, small batch Spanish single malt

The map of world whiskey has been steadily expanding. In the 2024 World Whisky Awards, over 40 countries competed—twice as many as a decade ago—with entries from Sweden to South Africa. 

Investment has followed. The Diageo-backed drinks business accelerator Distill Ventures took on Australia’s Starward in 2015 and invested $10 million in Denmark’s Stauning Whisky, which launched stateside last year and is fast gaining cult recognition. 

The number of world whiskey cases sold is a fraction of what the big whiskey players produce. In the U.S. alone, 31 million nine-liter cases of American whiskey were sold in 2023; comparably, Taiwan, which produces Kavalan, arguably the leading world whiskey on the market, is home to just two distilleries. But for a contingent of whiskey aficionados, a dram from one of these lesser-known whiskey-producing regions offers an unparalleled sense of discovery—and they could be catalysts for change. 

“As more world whiskeys enter the U.S. market, they will challenge the dominance of traditional categories like bourbon and Scotch by offering distinct alternatives,” says Scott Milne, the director of marketing for Stauning. “The influx of brands signals a coming consumer shift.”

Producers utilize the unique conditions of their home country to innovate, whether that’s in the use of local grains or native wood, or working around weather conditions that are often radically different than in Scotland or Kentucky. And this in turn inspires traditional producers, says whiskey educator and consultant Tracie Franklin. “Not only do we have these unusual countries producing whiskeys that are very much attuned to their climate, agriculture, and their particular flavors, we also have these amazing whiskies that now have the freedom to be more experimental with their production process because the world whiskeys are coming out and blowing flavors through the roof.” 

SevenFifty Daily reached out to bartenders, beverage directors, and whiskey specialists to ask which bottles from lesser-known whiskey-producing countries are worth stocking up on right now. (All whiskeys are listed with suggested retail price per bottle).  

Navazos-Palazzi Malt Whisky ‘Bota Punta,’ Spain; $125

Selected by Neal Bodenheimer, owner and partner, Cure, New Orleans 

“I absolutely love the texture of this Spanish malt whisky,” says Neal Bodenheimer, the owner and partner of New Orleans cocktail bar Cure. “When you combine the texture of a delicate malt whisky with a quality oloroso sherry cask finishing from the sherry whisperers at Equipo Navazos, well, it’s absolutely peerless.” 

Navazos-Palazzi is a partnership between Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda of Spain’s Equipo Navazos—passionate bottlers of sherry wines—and Nicolas Palazzi’s PM Spirits in Brooklyn. The most recent release is the Bota Punta, a 15-year-old bottling, using casks that were bota punta—at the end of the bottom row of barrels in a solera—and therefore subjected to more air, light, and aeration. With just 900 bottles, it’s highly sought after. “Everyone on the team is super passionate about it,” says Bodenheimer. “It can be hard to get a traditional malt drinker to take a chance on a relatively pricey dram of Spanish malt. But for an exceedingly hard bottle to find it’s a really great deal.” 

Imbibe Magazine: 13 to Try: Vermouths

NAVAZOS-PALAZZI VERMUT ROJO

Some of the most lusciously drinkable vermouths these days are coming from Spain. And this arresting rojo proves that sippable doesn’t mean simplistic. Hailing from Jerez, this oloroso-based vermouth from wine and sherry negociant Equipo Navazos and self-described “provider of geeky spirits” importer PM Spirits is as sultry and elaborate as they come. It features a texture so robust it’s almost chewy and a skillfully stacked set of floral botanicals and spice that rings every aromatic bell. Pour it over ice to taste its flavors slowly unfurl. Or mix it into a mezcal Negroni if you want to blow the roof off the place. $34.96, astorwines.com

The Ultimate Guide to Aperitifs

From bittersweet to botanical, there’s an appetite-stimulating aperitif out there for everyone in this growing category

by Tyler Zielinski Mar 10, 2022, 10:04am ESTPhotography by Michelle Min

HumansHumans are creatures of habit, and that’s especially true when it comes to our drinking rituals. We drink coffee for its ability to wake us up, herbal tea for relaxation, and wine to pair with food. But to stimulate the appetite before a meal, there’s one drink category most Americans tend to forget about: the aperitif.

The aperitif — a word derived from the Latin verb “aperire,” meaning “to open” — is a category of low-ABV beverages defined by when they’re consumed rather than how they’re produced. An aperitif can be a liqueur, fortified or aromatized wine (e.g., sherry or vermouth, respectively), or an aperitivo bitter (e.g., Aperol or Campari), making the category diverse and approachable for both bon vivants and novice drinks alike.

While the mindful and ritualistic consumption of aperitifs is slowly catching on in the U.S., in Europe, especially Italy, France, and Spain, aperitifs have been at the center of late afternoon and evening drinking rituals for decades — and, in some cases, centuries.

In Italy, aperitifs are consumed during the pre-dinner aperitivo hour — a time when family and friends gather to enjoy low-ABV tipples along with small bites (cicchetti, in Italian) to unwind from the day. In France, they practice apéro (short for apéritif) with French tipples such as pastis and Pineau des Charentes. And in Spain, sherries and vermut (vermouth) whet the appetite during “el aperitivo,” with new vermuterias, or vermouth bars, experiencing a renaissance among millennial drinkers.

Although a culturally ingrained drinking occasion such as aperitivo hour has not yet gained a permanent foothold in the U.S., interest in low/no-ABV drinks is expanding. The segment grew by 30 percent in 2020, and became a nearly $10 billion industry in 2021. As a result, the Aperol spritz has become as ubiquitous as the vodka soda in most major cities around the country; new sober bars and bars that strictly serve low-ABV aperitif-style cocktails are popping up; and a new wave of aperitifs is flooding the market at an unprecedented pace.

To kickstart your personal aperitivo hour practice, I’ve scoured the world of aperitifs to put together a list of some of the hottest bottlings from both domestic and international producers, broken down by flavor characteristics. Whether you’re a hardcore spritzer looking for an alternative to Aperol, a G&T lover open to trying a low-ABV botanical spirit to replace the gin, or a bon vivant who is just looking for the next hot low-ABV product, there’s a must-try aperitif for everyone.

PM Spirits Oloroso Sherry 2021

PM Spirits is one of the most exciting U.S. importers and distributors of geeky spirits. The brand’s Project Sherries came to be after Nicolas Palazzi, owner of PM Spirits, and Eduardo Ojeda, co-owner of cult sherry bottlers Equipo Navazos and senior advisor to famed sherry producer Grupo Estévez, collaborated to release some of the finest sherries that Jerez has to offer.

The Oloroso sherry is aged for an average of 19 years, and is full-bodied and structured with notes of toasted hazelnuts, sesame seeds and walnuts, brown butter, leather, toffee, candied orange peel, and cinnamon. The flavor profile is balanced with a delicate acidity and salinity that makes it perfect for contemplative sipping. While it would also shine in a simple sherry cocktail such as a highball or Sherry Cobbler, at its price point, you’ll want to be sure your bartending skills are quite sharp.

Tximista Vermouth

As far as vermouths go, the Basque-produced Tximista is truly one of a kind. It’s the world’s first and only vermouth made with 100 percent Getariako Txakolina wine from sustainably farmed hondarrabi zuri grapes. The brand has two styles, rojo and blanco, both aromatized with local herbs, roots, and botanicals. The high-acid, mineral-driven Txakoli base makes these vermouths incredibly drinkable while also standing up beautifully in a vermouth and tonic or martini. The product made its debut in Spain in 2018, and it’s currently only available in New York, California, and Florida, with more states being added for distribution in the near future.