5 of the Most Unique and Unusual Whiskies From Around the World

Here at Great Drams, as you probably know, we’re not afraid to push the boat out and try something new when it comes to whisky. Trying new things and daring to be different is what helps us to grow and expand. It’s also what helps us to create truly exceptional whiskies. If we stuck with what we knew all the time, we’d never be able to offer our customers something new.

As adventurous as we are with our whiskies, there are some out there that take things to a whole new level, creating some of the most unique and unusual whiskies you could ever imagine.

Today, I want to look at these unique expressions, so here’s a list of just a few of the most unique and unusual whiskies guaranteed to turn heads.

Agitator Maple Syrup Barrel Rye Whisky

A short while back, I wrote about Sweden’s Agitator Whisky, and looked at the range of whiskies they provide. Of these whiskies, one that caught my eye was their rye whisky aged in maple syrup barrels from their Arguments Range.

This rye is initially aged in new American oak casks. Now, you’re probably thinking that this is pretty normal for whisky. If so, you’d be correct. It’s the finishing that really sets this whisky apart from others.

Agitator take their rye and finish it in wooden barrels initially used to store maple syrup. To some, this may sound outlandish, but maple syrup is a common flavour profile associated with whisky, so it actually makes perfect sense.

The maple syrup isn’t overpowering in any way, but it’s definitely there, along with floral notes, honey, malty creaminess, fruit, and peppery spice from the rye. Now all you need is some pancakes to have with it.

Floki Single Malt Sheep Dung Smoked Whisky

Just one hour away from the nation’s capital city of Reykjavik, in southern Iceland, lies Eimverk Distillery. This distillery, opened in 2013 is special for a number of reasons, though primarily, it’s special because it was the country’s first whisky distillery. Their first release was Floki, a three-year-old single malt released in 2017.

Usually, to provide the hot water needed for this process, a boiler is used. Eimverk however, have access to a natural geothermal spring, which is where their water comes from. In fact, the water is so hot that it needs to cool before the mashing takes place.

Floki offer a variety of different whisky expressions, though primarily it’s their smoked whisky that grabs the headlines. Why? Because rather than peat like you’d find on Islay, they instead use sheep dung to smoke their whiskies.

It may sound gross, but this technique has been used for centuries, to preserve food and impart a rich and smoky flavour. Now, this is an acquired taste, that people will either love or hate. It’s smooth, slightly fruity, very floral, peppery, and you can definitely taste a smoky, grassy, slightly astringent flavour from the sheep dung smoke.

While this isn’t the finest smoked whisky out there, and won’t be to everybody’s tastes (myself included) it’s certainly one of the most intriguing.

Abasolo Whisky

The next unusual dram on our list today, comes to you from Mexico.

I’ve covered Canadian whiskey in the past, Japanese, Scandinavian, but never Mexican. Colour me intrigued.

Abasolo whisky is made from corn. Now, plenty of whiskies are made from corn, especially Bourbons. This dram, however, is made from 100% Mexican Cachuazintle corn. It’s how the corn is prepared that really helps give this whisky so many unusual characteristics. That’s because the corn undergoes a process known as nixtamalization.

Nixtamalization is a cooking technique dating back many centuries. It involves steeping and cooking the corn kernels in a high alkaline solution, usually made up of water and food-grade calcium hydroxide. This helps give the corn a stronger flavour and aroma, which carries over into the whisky. It also undergoes a lengthy fermentation of more than 120 hours.

The end result is a delicate, earthy, rich, and tannic whisky with sweet and spicy notes.

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours

This expression from Ardbeg is one of the most unusual and unique Islay whiskies ever released. It’s a typical Islay whisky heavy on the peat, but at the same time it’s like nothing you’ve ever tried before.

Heavy Vapours underwent distillation without the use of Ardbeg’s purifier. Usually, the purifier will catch vapours that have risen up the still, condensing the heavier compounds so that they fall back down. They are then heated again, rise again, fall again, and so on. The idea here is that purification will help to balance the peat, taking away the harsh smoky notes and balancing it with the fruity and floral notes.

As this process isn’t present here, what you’re left with is a heavily peated, non-chill filtered dram that people will either love or hate. If you love a smoky, peaty dram, you’ll love it. Not a peat fan, chances are this won’t be your cup of tea.

High West Campfire Whiskey

What do you get when you introduce a Scotch whisky from Islay, with rye and bourbon whiskey from across the pond? You get High West Campfire whiskey, that’s what.

High West Campfire Whiskey comes from Utah’s High West Distillery.

Following a trip to the Scottish whisky region of Islay, High West’s David Perkins returned to Utah, full of ideas and inspiration. He’d loved the whisky in Scotland (of course!) and wanted to find a way of combining it with the rye and bourbon whiskies dominating the market in America. So that’s exactly what he did.

High West Campfire Whiskey is a blend of rye, bourbon, and Scotch Islay whisky, providing drinkers with the best of all three worlds.

The US influence comes in the form of sweet and spicy notes, whereas the Scotch influence comes in the form of smoky, floral, and slightly fruity elements. There’s golden syrup, ripe peaches, spicy black pepper, sticky dessert fruits, honey, toffee, and more than a suggestion of peat smoke here, providing the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, fruity, rich, and smoky.

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or treat yourself to a Great Dram or two over the Holidays, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at what we have to offer.

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.

Tags: Most Unique Whiskies

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.