Spirits

🇸🇰Slovakia

Hriato

Hot spirit — usually borovička or slivovica — burned off with honey, lard and sometimes bacon, drunk on ski slopes and at winter markets.

🇸🇰Slovakia

Hruškovica

Pear brandy distilled from Williams pears, clear and intensely aromatic, made at the same village stills as slivovica.

🇵🇪Peru

Huitochado

An Amazonian huito fruit liqueur with deep color and a sweet botanical finish.

🇬🇧Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Irish Cream

Irish cream liqueur blends Irish whiskey with cream and sugar into a sweet, pourable drink.

🇬🇧Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Irish Whiskey

Uisce beatha

An Irish triple-distilled whiskey

🇺🇸United States

Jack Daniel's

A Tennessee whiskey made in Lynchburg, charcoal-mellowed through sugar maple, with a signature smooth, sweet character.

🇯🇵Japan

Japanese Whisky

ジャパニーズウイスキー

Whisky modeled on Scotch, refined by Suntory and Nikka since the 1920s, now world-renowned.

🇧🇪Belgium

Jenever

Jenever / Genièvre

A Belgian juniper-flavored spirit.

🇺🇸United States

Jim Beam

An American bourbon distilled in Kentucky — a classic, affordable, corn-based whiskey.

🇷🇸Serbia

Juniper Brandy

Клековача

Plum brandy redistilled with juniper berries, giving a resinous, pine-edged spirit drunk in the west and south.

🇩🇪Lower Saxony, Germany

Jägermeister

Herbal liqueur with 56 herbs, roots, and spices, from Lower Saxony, served cold as a digestif or shot.

🇧🇹Bhutan

K5 Whisky

K5

Blended whisky made at Gelephu by the state distillery, matured at altitude and named for the fifth king.

🇲🇼Malawi

Kachasu

A potent traditional Malawian spirit distilled from indigenous fruits such as masau (jujube), baobab, or maize; a strong, often home-made liquor with a fiery character.

🇲🇽Mexico

Kahlúa

A Veracruz coffee liqueur, sweet and roasty, used in cocktails and desserts.

🇷🇸Serbia

Kajsijevaca

Кајсијевача

Serbian apricot brandy.

🇹🇼Taiwan

Kaoliang

高粱酒

Sorghum spirit distilled on Kinmen at 38% or 58%, sharp and strongly aromatic, drunk in small glasses at banquets.

🇪🇹Ethiopia

Katikala

ካቲካላ

A clear, potent Ethiopian distilled liquor traditionally made in homes and villages. Closely related to areqe — by some accounts the same drink, by others a stronger, plainer cousin.

🇨🇭Switzerland

Kirsch

A clear cherry eau-de-vie distilled from whole crushed cherries including the stones, which give it a faint almond bitterness.

🇭🇹Haiti

Kleren

Raw cane-juice spirit distilled at hundreds of small mills, sold by the jug and often infused with bark, herbs or fruit in the bottle.

🇹🇿Tanzania

Konyagi

Clear sugarcane spirit made in Tanzania, drunk neat, with soda, or from small sachets.

🇩🇪Germany

Korn

German grain spirit from rye, wheat, or barley, 32-37.5% ABV, with a clean grain flavor.

🇫🇮Finland

Koskenkorva Vodka

Koskenkorva

Iconic Finnish vodka from Koskenkorva distillery, clear grain spirit, often used as base for liqueurs, smooth finish.

🇽🇰Kosovo

Kosovar Rakia

Rakia

Fruit brandy, usually plum or grape, offered to guests at every Kosovar table.

🇨🇮Côte d'Ivoire

Koutoukou

Sodabi

Palm wine distilled in village stills into a raw, high-strength clear spirit, sold by the glass from jerrycans.

🇧🇾Hrodna, Belarus

Krambambula

Крамбамбуля

Honey, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove infused into strong spirit and served warm — a Grand Duchy tavern drink brought back as a national one.

🇱🇹Lithuania

Krupnikas Honey Liqueur

Krupnikas

A traditional honey liqueur dating from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, spiced with herbs and honey.

🇷🇸Serbia

Kruskovac

Kruškovača

Kruškovača is pear rakija, distilled from ripe or wild mountain pears and rested until its floral fruit aroma rounds out. In Montenegro it is a home-cellar spirit rather than a generic fruit liqueur.

🇬🇷Ionian Islands, Greece

Kumquat Liqueur

Λικέρ Κουμ Κουάτ

A Corfu specialty liqueur made from kumquat, a small citrus, sweet and aromatic. A PDO and island specialty, served as a digestif, a Corfiot tradition, a sweet and citrusy drink, a souvenir.

🇵🇪Peru

Leche de Monja

A traditional Peruvian cream liqueur with a milk-and-spice profile.

🇱🇷Liberia

Liberian Sugarcane Liquor

Gana Gana

A strong homemade Liberian liquor made by fermenting sugarcane juice, sometimes infused with bark or spices and poured from reused bottles.

🇪🇸Murcia, Spain

Licor 43

A sweet, golden liqueur from Cartagena, Murcia, made with 43 secret ingredients, with notes of vanilla, citrus, and spices, served cold or in coffee.

🇵🇹Portugal

Licor Beirão

Beirão

Portuguese herbal liqueur made with twelve botanicals, served neat or in cocktails.

🇦🇷Argentina

Licor de Calafate

A Patagonian liqueur made from calafate berries, sugar, and alcohol. Sweet and berry-flavored, it is a southern souvenir and a digestif after lamb asado.

🇵🇹Northern Portugal, Portugal

Licor de Singeverga

Licor de Singeverga is a Portuguese liqueur or spirit associated with Roriz, distilled or macerated for a concentrated aromatic finish.

🇫🇷France

Lillet

Lillet is a named French spirit associated with France, served for its distinctive regional profile.

🇮🇹Italy

Limoncello

Southern Italian lemon liqueur made by infusing lemon zest in alcohol, then sweetening with sugar syrup. Served ice-cold as a digestif.