Discover the 10 Countries That Produce the Most Whiskey

10. India

India has been the most recent phenomenon in whisky production. India consumes roughly 45% of whisky worldwide and has become one of the leading producers of alcohol since it first began in the 1940s. When it comes to production, India should be higher on the list because they are producing a whopping 189 million cases of whisky every year. That’s more than what Scotland produces, but India makes most of its whisky using molasses. Many global economic markets, like the EU and the United States, do not consider molasses-made whisky as real whisky.

9. Australia

There are more than 300 whisky distilleries (50 of them active) located in Australia, which produce a healthy 300,000 to 400,000 liters of alcohol every year. But Australia’s history with whisky isn’t new. It all began around 1820 and it is said that between 1822 and 1979, a whopping 140 million liters of the liquor was produced. Interestingly enough, no whisky was produced in the 1980s because of the dwindling demand within Australia that forced distilleries to shut down. The modern whisky period for the country began in the early 1990s and has been on the rise ever since.

8. Taiwan

Taiwan is becoming an up-and-coming whisky producer. For a while, there was only one distillery located in the country, Kavalan, which was founded in 2005. But now, there are two with several more on the horizon. A fascinating fact about Taiwanese whisky is that it matures much faster than Scotch whisky because of Taiwan’s subtropical type of climate. It also has a tropical fruit kind of flavor that makes it unique.

7. Finland

Finnish production of whisky started in 1981 at the Koskenkorva distillery. Alcohol has been a state-run monopoly since 1932 and is run by Alko. There are currently four distilleries located in Finland: Kyrö Distillery Company, Panimoravintola Beer Hunter’s, Panimoravintola Koulu, and Teerenpeli Distillery and Brewery. Most Finnish whisky comes from the rye grain. Its whisky exports reached new heights in 2022, beating previous records, with more than 10 million in revenue. The most popular Finnish whisky brand is Kyrö, which has won awards in recent years for its excellent whisky.

6. Germany

German whiskey is relatively new, but in the past few decades, they have risen in production, as well as in reputation. Interestingly enough, when it comes to the spelling of whiskey (or whisky), German distilleries use both and they even have an extra word for the liquor: whesskey. German whiskey accounts for 0.4% of worldwide production, but they are already ahead of various countries with more whiskey production history. There are about 130 distilleries in the country with a total value exceeding 11 million euros.

5. Ireland

Irish whiskey is one of the most popular in the world. Whiskey means “water of life” in Irish, so we know the sentiments the spirit created when it was first distilled. Irish whiskey came before Scotch whiskey, having been distilled since the 12th or 13th centuries, which means many have branded Ireland as the birthplace of whiskey. Usually, what sets Irish whiskey apart from others is that it is distilled three times. Irish whisky also is smoother, whereas Scotch whisky can have a smokier taste.

4. Canada

Canada produces over 21 million cases of whisky, which amounts to 54.2 million liters. The liquor must be aged in oak casks for at least three years to count as whisky, following Canadian law. Most Canadian whiskies, however, are blended whisky with various grains. The most popular grain that Canadian whisky uses is corn, with small amounts of rye.

Whisky production in Canada came about in the early 18th century and the country quickly established a reputation as a powerhouse. In fact, Gooderham and Worts, which began whisky production in Toronto in 1837, was the world’s largest distillery in the 1860s.

3. Japan

Japanese whisky started around 1870, but it didn’t get commercially produced until 1923 when the Yamazaki distillery opened. Since then, Japanese whisky has started getting more and more popular. The two most popular brands of whisky are Suntory and Nikka, and they produce single malt, blended, and blended malt types of whiskies. Japanese whisky is distilled twice and oak plays a major part in the process. Japanese whisky is the country’s largest alcohol export with 56.1 billion yen. Sake comes in at number two with 47.5 billion yen.

2. United States

The United States is the number two producer of whiskey. There are several types of whiskey made in the United States that stand out in the whiskey market. American whiskeys need to have at least 51% of their grains, and they include rye whiskey, rye malt whiskey, wheat whiskey, corn whiskey, bourbon whiskey, and Tennessee whiskey. What sets American whisky apart from others is that whiskey in the United States must be distilled in oak casks, which creates a strong vanilla flavoring. The most famous American whiskey brands are Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, and Maker’s Mark.

1. Scotland

It comes as no surprise that Scotland is number one on the list. When one thinks of whisky, they think of Scotch whisky, of course. The areas of the Isle of Isley and Speyside are where the main distilleries are located, but there are others throughout the country. Scotch whisky must be aged in wooden barrels for at least three years. Furthermore, Scotch whisky comes in five different types: single malt, single grain, blended malt, blended grain, and blended.

The earliest recording of whisky distillation came in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1494. Since then, Scotch whisky has been a popular drink in the country. So much so that it was King James IV of Scotland’s favorite drink.