Guide to Rare and Unique Alcoholic Beverages

The most common alcoholic beverages are probably those that are for sale at the nearest liquor stores.Liquor stores down the street will definitely carry a lot of common alcoholic beverages like wine, rum, brandy, gin, sake, whisky, vodka, tequila and of course all kinds of beer. Some liquor stores that are bigger in size have larger inventories and might carry a wider variety of the same alcoholic beverages listed above. However there are still many alcoholic beverages from around the world that are almost never for sale at regular liquor stores large or small.

Countries from around the world produce their own unique alcoholic beverages. Usually alcoholic beverages are produced from almost the same ingredients. Most common ingredients are: wheat, rice, grains, seeds, plants, flowers, herbs and even vegetables. Ingredients in alcoholic beverages are usually from the local regions and relate to the local produce. So countries that are located in warmer parts of the world tend to make their alcoholic beverages from various tropical vegetables, fruits, plants and flowers that grow particularly in their own region. While countries that are located in colder parts of the world tend to make their alcoholic beverages from grains, herbs, vegetables and fruits that grow particularly in their own region.

Asian countries produce various rare and unique great alcoholic beverages. For example, Japan produces a world famous Sake alcoholic beverages. Sake is produced from rice and sometimes even referred to in English as rice wine. Another Asian county that produces a great alcoholic beverage is South Korea. South Korea is a homeland to a very old alcoholic beverage called Soju. Soju means "burnt liquor" or "burnt wine" in Korean. Soju is a distilled alcoholic beverage and traditionally made from rice and sometimes other starches like potatoes, wheat or barley. India is another Asian country that produces it's own unique alcoholic beverage called Sonti. Sonti is an alcoholic beverages that is also produced from rice. It is very similar to other versions of rice wine. And finally, another Asian country that produces it's own unique alcoholic beverage is China. China produces an alcoholic beverage called Huangjiu. In English that literally means "yellow wine" or "yellow liquor". Huangjiu is brewed directly from grains such as rice, millet or wheat.

European countries also produce there own various rare and unique great alcoholic beverages. For example a Scandinavian alcoholic beverage called Akvavit. The name Akvavit come from Latin "aqua vitae" which means "water of life". Akvavit, just like vodka, is distilled from either grain or potatoes. However it is flavored with various herbs such as caraway seeds, anise, dill, fennel and coriander. It is a very popular alcoholic beverage in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Another European country that produces a very unique alcoholic beverage is Hungary. Hungary produces an alcoholic beverage called Palinka. Palinka is a double-distilled fruit brandy. Palinka is produced from various fruits including plums, pears, apricots, apples, cherries, mulberries, or even quince. There are a lot of various unique alcoholic beverages produce by many counties in the Balkans. One of those rare alcoholic beverages is Slivovitz. Slivovitz is a distilled alcoholic beverage produced from Damson plums. Slivovitz sometimes referred to as plum brandy. The name Slivovitz comes from Slavic word "sliva" which means plum. Slivovitz originated in the Balkan counties, including countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria and some others. Another very unique, rare and even some what mysterious alcoholic beverage is Absinthe. Absinthe is a distilled alcoholic beverage that originated in Switzerland. Absinthe is flavored with Anise plant and produced from other various herbs including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia Absinthium. Absinthe alcoholic beverage is famous for having a very natural green color and even being referred to as the "green fairy". Absinthe was for a very long time considered as a very addictive psychoactive drug. At the beginning of the twenties century Absinthe had been banned in the United States and in most European countries, however since late nineties Absinthe was allowed to be sold in most countries of the world. And finally, another European country that produces a very unique alcoholic beverage is Italy. Italy produces an alcoholic beverage called Grappa. Grappa means "grape stalk" and is a fragrant grape-based pomace brandy. Grappa is made by distilling pomace and grape residue (mainly the skins, but also stems and seeds) left over from winemaking after pressing.

North American and South American countries produce their own very unique alcoholic beverages. For example, a very old and rare alcoholic beverage called Cauim. Cauim is a traditional alcoholic beverage or beer of the indigenous peoples in Brazil. It is still made today in remote areas throughout Panama and South America. Cauim is made by fermenting manioc (a large starchy root) or maize, sometimes flavored with fruit juices. Another historical and rare alcoholic beverage is called Tiswin. Tiswin is a North American Indian alcoholic beverage brewed from corn. Tiswin is a sacred drink of the Papago Indians. Another less know alcoholic beverage that originates in Brazil is Cachaca. Cachaca is the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil. Outside Brazil Cachaca is used as a very popular cocktail ingredient. Cachaca is made from sugarcane juice and is very close to rum. Another great South American alcoholic beverage is Pisco. Pisco is a liquor distilled from grapes originally produced in Peru by Spanish settlers. However now Pisco is produced not only Peru but also in Chile. Mexico is famous for being the birthplace of Tequila, however in Mexico they also produce many other rare and unique alcoholic beverages, for example Mezcal and Tepache. Mezcal is a Mexican distilled spirit produced from Agave (maguey) plants. There are many different species of Agave plant and each of them produces a different flavor of Mezcal. Another unique Mexican alcoholic beverage is Tepache. Tepache is a drink produced from the pineapple and sweetened with brown sugar and cinnamon. A small amount of beer is also usually added in order to get higher level of alcohol.

Many countries produce great alcoholic beverages. However some alcoholic beverages become more mainstream, popular and can be found in every liquor store, while other alcoholic beverages might be a lot harder to find. Never the less rare alcoholic beverages can sometimes be a very great and unique alternative to a more common alcoholic beverage. For example, instead of drinking Tequila it might be a good idea to try a distant cousin of Tequila called Mezcal. Or instead of drinking regular wine it might be nice to try a unique grape made Pisco liquor or Grappa. There are many great less known alternatives to major mainstream alcoholic beverages. However it is very important to never get carried away with such a great variety of alcoholic beverages. It is always important to drink alcoholic beverages in moderation.Especially so when drinking infamous Absinthe!