Bacanora, Raicilla and Sotol reward a closer look at the plant before the still. Bacanora and Raicilla are agave spirits, while Sotol begins with
Continue ReadingCachaça Explained: Brazilian Sugar Cane Spirits, Wood, and Classification
Cachaça starts with fresh sugar cane juice and a Brazilian identity. What happens next can lead to a bright, clear spirit or a wood-influenced ex
Continue ReadingOther Rum Traditions Explained: Haiti, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Guyana, and Beyond
Rum traditions become easier to remember when each place has a production story. Haiti offers cane juice and syrup routes, Guyana preserves striki
Continue ReadingCalvados, South African Brandy, and European Fruit Spirits Explained
Calvados can begin with a blend long before anyone selects a cask. Sweet, sharp and more tannic apples provide different contributions to the cide
Continue ReadingPisco, Grappa, and Brandy de Jerez Explained: Three Grape-Spirit Traditions
Pisco, Grappa and Brandy de Jerez all begin with grapes, but they do not begin with the same distilling material or finish with the same treatment
Continue ReadingOther American Whiskeys Explained: Wheat, Malt, Corn, and Labeling Terms
American whiskeys extend well beyond bourbon and rye. Wheat whiskey, malt whiskey and corn whiskey each have their own production identity, and th
Continue ReadingSoju Explained: Korean Distilled and Diluted Spirits
Soju is often introduced through the familiar green bottle on a Korean restaurant table. That is a useful starting point, but it is not the whole
Continue ReadingBaijiu Explained: Qu, Solid-State Fermentation, and China’s Major Styles
Baijiu can be fruity, floral, earthy, savory or surprisingly restrained, sometimes with several of those qualities in the same glass. Treating it
Continue ReadingShōchū Explained: Honkaku Shōchū, Awamori, and Japanese Distillation
Shōchū rewards a small change in perspective. Instead of starting with a familiar whisky mash and asking what is different, start with two separ
Continue ReadingIrish, Canadian, and Japanese Whisky Explained: Production, Laws, and Styles
Irish, Canadian and Japanese whisky share the broad work of turning cereals into a matured spirit, but their identities cannot be reduced to a few
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