How world whiskies are filling the hunger for new

Whisky is no longer just the pride of Scotland’s glens, Ireland’s green hills, or Kentucky’s rickhouses. It’s being made in Mexico and Argentina, China and Denmark, South Africa and New Zealand – and, crucially, it’s being taken seriously. 

You know this already, I’m sure. What was a curiosity became a movement and has grown into the new status quo. These aren’t just “emerging” producers anymore. They’ve arrived.

They’ve evolved beyond being “new world whiskies”. Even “world whiskies” seems inadequate (Scotland, Ireland, Japan, and the USA are – last time I checked – in the world, no?). Whatever you call them, they aren’t just part of a change. They have changed things.

Whisky is truly global in a production sense now, not just in consumption. And it’s a good thing, too. Because the people crave whisky. 

Where is whisky being made now?

The answer: almost everywhere. Let’s do a brief overview of where in the world whisky is now made:

Africa:

South Africa – A growing player with whiskies that reflect diverse climate zones and bold cask choices. Bain’s the pack leader.

Asia:

China – An emerging force, with serious investment and ambition already showing results.

India – Amrut and Paul John deliver tropical, bold styles with growing finesse.

Taiwan – Kavalan and Nantou lead the charge with rapid ageing and vibrant, cask-forward expressions.

Europe:

England – a fast-growing scene with over 60 distilleries, with big names like Cotswolds, Bimber, and The Lakes leading a category where innovation thrives, from local grain and heritage barley to wild fermentation and uncommon casks.

France – Warenghem and Domaine des Hautes Glaces focus on terroir, grain, and sustainability.

Germany – Technically precise and increasingly creative; think rye, peat, and local grain innovation. Think Stork Club, Slyrs, and Hardenberg.

Italy – Puni is the standout, producing whisky in the Alps using barley, rye, and wheat, aged in bourbon, sherry, and even Marsala casks.

Scandinavia – from Denmark’s Stauning and its blend of bold flavours and hands-on production to Finland’s Kyrö making rye whisky its signature and the host of experimental and awesome creators coming out of Sweden. 

Oceania:

Australia – The likes of Starward, Sullivans Cove, and Limeburners are mastering warm-climate maturation with bold flavour and strong regional identity.

New Zealand – Rising quietly with high-quality, small-batch distillers such as Cardrona and Scapegrace putting terroir front and centre.

The Americas

Argentina & Bolivia – Small-scale, high-altitude production with serious potential.

Mexico – Abasolo is pioneering whisky made from native nixtamalised corn. A totally unique profile.

USA (beyond bourbon) – Yes, craft producers like Westland and Balcones are rethinking American whisky from the ground up.

World whiskies – are they any good?

In short, yes. And the best are more than just good; they’re disruptive in the best possible way.

These distillers offer fresh takes on tradition, from Stauning’s tiny stills and local peat to Puni ageing whisky in Alpine tunnels. Most aren’t trying to imitate Scotland or Ireland. While they respect them and the craft, they’re creating new flavours and identities that reflect them as distillers, often as natives, and of the place where the whisky is made (nationally, regionally, all of the above).

And that hunger for new experiences is being met by distilleries free from the weight of regulation. Scotch’s technical files or Kentucky’s legal definitions have purpose, and they protect the categories. I’m not against them. But we can’t pretend like we haven’t enjoyed watching new players revel in the freedom that has opened the door to original local grains, climate-led maturation, wild fermentation, unusual casks, and production techniques never considered before. 

Whisky from beyond the traditional boundaries is reshaping more than the spirit itself. As each new distiller enters the scene, the pressure ramps up to embrace sustainability, transparency, and innovation as central pillars, not marketing afterthoughts. Packaging, storytelling, distillery tourism, and digital experiences are all being reinvented to suit a modern, global audience.

How world whiskies are filling the hunger for new

The change is both for us and driven by us as whisky drinkers. For years, we were largely a brand-loyal bunch who clung to tradition: “I’m a Glenfiddich man”, “My gran only drinks Grouse“.

But today’s whisky scene is driven by curiosity, not loyalty. Consumers are flavour-hunters, not flag-wavers. A whisky from Iceland made with sheep dung–smoked barley? Sure. A dram from Australia that tastes like eucalyptus and sea salt? Go on, then.

Today’s whisky drinker wants something that tastes different, feels personal, and tells a compelling story. They discover brands through social media, buy online, and aren’t afraid of cask strength, local grains, or hybrid styles.

That shift in attitude is fuelling the rise of these global distillers, and global distilleries are fuelling the shift in attitude. This symbiotic process is turning whisky into something more democratic, less dogmatic, and a lot more exciting.

Just don’t call it “new world”

While it’s tempting shorthand borrowed from the wine world, “New World whisky”, doesn’t really work anymore. As Kristiane Westray points out in her excellent piece, it never did. It carries colonial baggage, makes no geographic sense, and oversimplifies diverse producers. 

So, what should we say instead? Just be specific. Say “global distillers”, “emerging whisky regions”, “geographically diverse producers”, or “next-generation whisky makers”. Even “world whisky” is fair, so long as it’s used inclusively – and not to imply these producers are merely playing catch-up. They’re not.

World whiskies – adding more fuel to the fire?

It’s easy to get carried away with it all. But more sobering than considering the effect of our language is the thought of considering what kind of world all these whiskies have entered.

After two decades of surging demand, the global whisky industry now faces a growing oversupply problem. Years of expansion, speculative investment, and contract production have left warehouses bulging with spirit, just as consumer demand begins to stall. Because whisky takes years to mature, distilleries can’t easily react to shifting markets, meaning today’s barrels were laid down with yesterday’s optimism.

Scotland may be staring down another whisky loch. Big players like Macallan ramped up production and warehousing, betting on continued growth in single malt demand, but sales volumes have slowed or declined, especially in the crucial U.S. market. Exports in 2024 dropped in value while rising in volume, suggesting a pivot to cheaper blends. Critics warn that unless the industry reins in production, history could repeat itself with closures or massive stock write-downs.

Bourbon’s in bother too. Prices for aged barrels have plummeted, contract whiskey demand has dried up, and distilleries are slashing production or shutting down. The gold rush mentality led to speculative barrel buying, flooding the market with whiskey no one knows what to do with. American single malt Westward Whiskey filed for Chapter 11 in April. A cautionary tale dressed in oak. Even in Ireland, where things have been rosy recently, both Midleton and Tullamore D.E.W. have paused production. Trying to dodge the oversupply bullet? Waterford went into receivership. After Diageo’s withdrawal from Distill Ventures, the likes of Stauning are in limbo.

Emerging markets, RTDs, and bulk spirit buyers can soak up some of the excess, but it’s no quick fix. Major distillers are still building new facilities, betting on long-term demand. Where whisky from global distilleries comes into all of this is, as of yet, unclear. The hope is that this is an industry responding to a uniquely difficult market that will relent soon, and there is a general correction of quality taking precedence over quantity. Not every distillery will survive. That much is clear. Who goes, and from where, is less so.

But there is hope, and it’s worth pausing to reflect on the whisky world as it looks right now. Much wider, more interesting, more dynamic, and more global than ever before. Demand for whisky did that. It can do it again.

The Last Drop

Global whisky isn’t the future – it’s the now. From France to Mexico, Denmark to South Africa, distillers are reimagining what whisky can be. 

Ditch the dated labels, embrace the diversity, and pour something different.

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