Best Alcoholic Beverage Types in the World
Brunello di Montalcino is a red Italian wine produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montalcino in the Tuscany wine region. Though it was initially considered to be made from a separate grape variety named Brunello, it was later discovered that the grape used in the production of the wine is in fact Sangiovese.
Regarded as one of the most renowned Italian wines, Brunello di Montalcino was awarded the designation of origin (DOCG), and it is produced with 100% Sangiovese grapes. At first, it comes off as juicy and spicy, with notes of oregano and balsamic, and it may develop strong aromas of cherry and leather.
This full-bodied, red wine is made from Nebbiolo grapes in a small area in Piedmont with a unique soil and climate conditions. It has been produced since the 19th century, and soon after its invention, it became a favorite among the Italian and European nobility.
According to Italian DOCG regulations, Barolo needs to matured for at least 36 months, while those aged for five years carry the prestigious Riserva label. It is a robust, but elegant wine, which is very high in tannins that soften with aging.
THE BEST Barolo Wine Appellations
Vintage Port is a style made from the best grapes of a single year harvest. It is considered the most prestigious and the highest quality port style. Vintage is not produced every year, but only when port houses decide that the wine is of sufficient quality.
Vintages make only about 2% of all port production, and in the best years, all port houses will declare a Vintage. The decision to declare a Vintage can be made after Portugal’s Port Wine Institute had approved it. Vintages are barrel-aged for two to three years and are not filtered before they are bottled.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the largest and the most important appellation in the southern part of the Rhône Valley that comprises of five communes. Most Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are predominantly red blends, with a small percentage of whites.
Officially eighteen grape varieties are allowed, including different colors of the same grape variety. However, the most common are Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsault grapes. These rich wines can greatly differ in style, but they are mainly characterized by the spicy and earthy aromas of red berries, black pepper, tar, and leather.
THE BEST Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wine Appellations
![2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vin de la Solitude Red](/images/products/2491a22d02be400cb621727de3a931c8.jpg?w=234&h=140)
Domaine de la Solitude
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vin de la Solitude Red
James Suckling - 99 points 2024
![2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Lucile Avril](/images/products/bc807a3e64fc4c8fa8650109e8b5baf8.jpg?w=234&h=140)
Vinsanto is a dessert wine hailing from Santorini. It is made with sun-dried Assyrtiko and Aidani grapes. Despite a surprisingly similar name, this Greek wine does not have much in common with the more famous Vin Santo from Tuscany. The grapes are sun-dried for approximately fourteen days and are then fermented and aged.
This wine has to be oak-aged for a minimum of two years, but most producers opt for longer maturation. The result is a sweet and dense wine packed with flavor and rich in aromas. Although both grape varieties are white-skinned, Vinsanto will attain a luscious golden color that tends to turn into darker amber hues as the wine ages.
Georgian amphora wine is produced with an ancient wine-making method in which pressed grapes, including skins, juice (tkbili), stalks, and pips, are poured in traditional terracotta amphorae known as qvevri (kvevri). The amphorae are sealed and are then buried underground, or kept in Marani—underground cellars.
Usually, the wine is left to ferment from five to six months. The method is used throughout the country, though the wines can slightly vary in styles depending on the region. In Kakheti, the wine is produced with whole chacha—pomace—while in Imereti approximately only a third is used.
Dwójniak is a traditional mead product with an alcohol content ranging from 15 to 18 % vol., fermented from mead wort and produced throughout Poland. To be called Dwójniak, mead must be made from one part honey and one part water.
It gets its name from the numeral 2, referring to the proportions of mead and water. It is a clear alcoholic beverage, with a unique aroma and flavor of honey, which may be enhanced using spices such as cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. It is golden to dark amber in color, depending on the type of honey used in the process.
Póltorak is a mead produced in Poland in accordance with old Polish traditions that date back over a thousand years. Its alcohol content ranges from 15 to 18% vol. and it is fermented from mead wort. In order to be called Póltorak", the mead must be made in proportions of one part honey to 0,5 part water (alternatively, water mixed with fruit juice).
It gets its name from the numeral '1,5' (póltora in Polish), referring to the ratio of honey and water. This alcoholic beverage is golden to dark amber, with a delicate aroma and flavor of honey, which may be enhanced with spices such as ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon or cloves.
Burgundy is a world-famous French wine region that produces some of the best and most expensive wines in the world. Located in the east-central part of France, the area is dominated by Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Other red and white grapes such as Aligoté, Pinot Gris, or Gamay are also used, but on a much lower scale.
Burgundy has more than 100 approved wine-growing areas, all regulated by a complex quality system that divides the region into grand cru, premier cru, village wines, and regional appellations. The wines are greatly influenced by terroir and show great diversity in flavors and aromas.
THE BEST Burgundy Wine Appellations
![Großes Gewächs Weisser Burgunder QbA trocken](/images/products/56d25b4859d9482d8ae3d804388ce81c.png?w=234&h=140)
Ribera del Duero is a Spanish appellation located in several provinces of Castilla and Leon, in north-central Spain. The region is best known for big and bold varietals made with Tempranillo, also known as Tinto Fino or Tinta del Pais.
The blends have to include 75% Tempranillo, while other permitted varieties include Garnacha, white Albillo, and international varieties Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Ribera del Duero wines are built to age. With time, they develop complexity and become more balanced.
Most of the wines are deeply colored, full-bodied, and well-structured with bright acidity and aromas of ripe fruit, vanilla, and spices. Aging requirements are similar to those in Rioja. Crianza is the youngest, aged for two years and 12 months in oak. Reserva labels are aged at least three years with at least 12 months in oak, and the Gran Reservas have to be aged for five years, including two years of oak aging.
Best Alcoholic Beverages in the World
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
![2 stars](/images/productawards/5a0904329a2a4f93a97f6f987ec6ad75.png?w=160)
ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Double Gold
2024
![2 stars](/images/productawards/6efc55d212424264b0459035583a532a.png?w=160)
ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Double Gold
2021
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/6efc55d212424264b0459035583a532a.png?w=160)
ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Double Gold
2021
![2 stars](/images/productawards/7fd44aa133634c7fb3397a02334530ca.png?w=160)
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding
2024, 2023, 2022
This high proof, Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon was named for Henry McKenna, the Irish immigrant who adapted his family's whiskey recipe to work with the grains he found in Kentucky. Henry McKenna is one of the longest aged Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys available today, resting in the barrel through 40 Kentucky seasons.
Critics agree that this is perfectly balanced Bourbon.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
![2 stars](/images/productawards/a02953b89be24ca298ed055f84957f86.png?w=160)
ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Double Gold
2023, 2020, 2019
![2 stars](/images/productawards/85debd67b164433bbc0cbebe649be3e4.png?w=160)
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold
2023
Knappogue Castle offers a distinguished range of limited-edition single malt Irish whiskeys, each showcasing unique aging processes and cask finishes. Notably, the Knappogue Castle 21 Year Old Single Malt is a marriage of two single malts—one aged 23 years and the other 21 years—both matured in ex-bourbon casks.
This expression is non-chill filtered and bottled at 92 proof, delivering a soft and mellow taste with malty richness throughout.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/5a0904329a2a4f93a97f6f987ec6ad75.png?w=160)
ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Double Gold
2024
![2 stars](/images/productawards/c27fd15593c948d9999e7167bf1979c4.png?w=160)
NYWSC - New York World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/25c2a2fa4f6d4430a50968cefd8ea4c0.png?w=160)
NYWSC - New York World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/b12882cd4d854584a7198e647314e42e.png?w=160)
SWSC - Singapore World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023
An exquisite dessert wine from Australia's De Bortoli family winery Picked late on the vine, the grapes’ natural sugars have been allowed to intensify, resulting in a golden hued wine boasting a delicate concentration of citrus, peach and apricot flavours that are both sumptuous and fresh.
Fabulous with sweet desserts, but try it with blue cheese for an inspired pairing. One of the most famed dessert wines.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/ebbc909e48184c4f903316c049220dc9.png?w=160)
International Wine Challenge - IWC Great Value Champion Sweet 2023
2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/c2e297d87ff749639549151674da9327.png?w=160)
International Wine Challenge - IWC Great Value Champion Sweet 2020
2020
![2 stars](/images/productawards/eb5d16927e894906a6d9f54f5ad5ed12.png?w=160)
International Wine Challenge - IWC Great Value Champion Sweet 2019
2019
With a desire to innovate and introduce a unique style of gin to Brazil, BEG developed the BEG New World Navy Gin. With 54% alcohol content, this gin contains over twice the juniper of the BEG Brazilian Boutique Dry Gin. Part of the ingredients is infused via steam extraction, while another part is macerated for 24 hours, as in the original recipe.
The result is a gin with greater complexity in aroma and flavor, ideal for enhancing your favorite drink.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/9e0fd07e4f9b43e1ab346912e62ac824.png?w=160)
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding
2024
![2 stars](/images/productawards/b6d20caa4c264213bf1c9ffd8d32ef22.png?w=160)
Bartender Spirits Awards - Gold
2023
Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon, named in honor of Colonel Albert Blanton, is a pioneering bourbon with a rich legacy. Crafted from a handpicked, limited supply, this bourbon offers a deep and complex aroma, blending warm nutmeg and spices with dry vanilla notes.
The palate reveals harmonious flavors of honey, bold caramel, and corn, leading to a medium finish where the corn and nutmeg reemerge, leaving a satisfying and lasting impression. First introduced in 1984, Blanton's remains a benchmark as the first Single Barrel Bourbon sold commercially, encapsulating both history and exceptional craftsmanship.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/25c2a2fa4f6d4430a50968cefd8ea4c0.png?w=160)
NYWSC - New York World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/7fd44aa133634c7fb3397a02334530ca.png?w=160)
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding
2022
The Highland Park 21-Year-Old 2022 release is a complex and mature whisky crafted from 14 casks laid down in 2000 and earlier. It opens with aromas of espresso, dark chocolate, and marmalade, followed by ginger and oriental spice from sherry-seasoned oak.
Sweet citrus and cedar notes from ex-bourbon barrels add complexity, with heather-infused peat smoke tying it all together. It's an exceptional example of Highland Park's craftsmanship, combining three distinctive cask types.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/5a0904329a2a4f93a97f6f987ec6ad75.png?w=160)
ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Double Gold
2024
![2 stars](/images/productawards/985e060b37e9467c954630085a0f256a.png?w=160)
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold
2024
Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel is one of the most renowned whiskeys in the world, known for its bold and intense flavor. This bourbon offers rich notes of dark chocolate, caramel, butter, with earthy tones of walnut and hazelnut, while the palate features warm vanilla, oak, and spicy notes.
With a high alcohol content, it delivers a deep and long-lasting finish. Best served neat or with a splash of water, unfiltered and in its purest form.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d816aeb6bd344c7ab5140c3695e9809f.png?w=160)
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/25c2a2fa4f6d4430a50968cefd8ea4c0.png?w=160)
NYWSC - New York World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/7fd44aa133634c7fb3397a02334530ca.png?w=160)
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding
2022
![](https://cdn.tasteatlas.com//images/products/61d745cdabf649abad2c74be0417ba59.jpg?w=250&h=141)
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![](https://cdn.tasteatlas.com//images/products/d5534cf263f04248bb2953d3af9720e5.png?w=250&h=141)
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![](https://cdn.tasteatlas.com//images/products/783df27f431b4154aebe9e1d99279da9.jpg?w=250&h=141)
Barrell Craft Spirits Private Release Whiskey Finished in a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Barrel DSX3 American Whiskey
![](/images/emblems/1e2394c7ea784e6883c4f7ec30a9584b.png?mh=40)
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Alcoholic Beverages in the World” list until February 14, 2025, 39,510 ratings were recorded, of which 30,152 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.