A national drink is a distinct beverage that is strongly associated with a particular country, and can be part of their national identity and self-image. These drinks can be either alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Alcoholic national drinks might be spirits consumed straight (like vodka in Russia), but more often, they are mixed drinks (such as caipirinhas in Brazil and Singapore Slings in Singapore), beer, or wine. Non-alcoholic national drinks include Coca-Cola in the United States, boba tea in Taiwan, and Thai iced tea in Thailand.
Several factors can qualify a beverage as a national drink:
Regional Ingredients and Popularity: The drink is made from locally sourced ingredients and is commonly consumed, such as mango lassi in India, which uses dahi, a traditional yogurt. Unique Local Ingredients: The beverage contains an exotic ingredient that is unique to the region. Cultural Tradition: The drink plays a significant role in festive traditions and cultural heritage. Official Promotion: The country actively promotes the drink as a national symbol.
Choosing a single national drink can be challenging for some countries due to their diverse cultures and populations, such as Mexico or India. Conversely, some beverages, like pisco sour, are claimed by more than one country—both Peru and Chile, in this case.
Below is a list of national drinks categorized within geo-political regions modified from the United Nations' five "regional groups". This list generally excludes moonshines or illicitly produced alcoholic beverages.
America
North : A Caesar is a cocktail that originated in Calgary, and is widely drunk in all parts of Canada. Similar to a Bloody Mary, it contains vodka, a blend of Clamato juice (a type of garden cocktail and clam broth), hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, and is served with ice in a celery salt-rimmed glass, typically garnished with a stalk of celery or pickle and wedge of lime. Calgary officially celebrated an anniversary of its creation and launched a national petition for it to be recognized as the official cocktail of Canada. : CoffeeThe History of America's "National Drink", George Washington Inn 25 April 2018. Accessed on 23 February 2021. was defiantly adopted as an alternative to British tea in the period leading up to the American Revolution. Coca-Cola is America's iconic soft drink, with the name of the drink referring to two of its original ingredients: coca leaves and kola nuts (a source of caffeine). Bourbon (whiskey), named for Bourbon County, Kentucky, is a corn whiskey aged in charred oak barrels - and was proclaimed the U.S. National Spirit by an act of Congress in 1964. : Tequila is a liquor distilled from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, of the central western Mexican state of Jalisco. In 2018, the Mexican government approved a proposal to celebrate every third Saturday of March as National Tequila Day. A Margarita is a famous cocktail that is made from tequila, as well as triple sec and lime juice. In Mexico, Aguas Frescas are also quite popular, two notable ones being Jamaica and Horchata. Hot chocolate is also a very popular drink , having been consumed by Mayans since around 3,000 years ago.
Central and South
: Rum : Mate, Wine, Fernet con coca, Hesperidina. : Switcha : Mauby : Rum Punch : Rum swizzle, Dark N' Stormy (Only classified as such if made with Gosling's Dark Rum only made in Bermuda) : Chuflay, Singani : Caipirinha is a well-known cocktail made of cachaça, lime, and sugar, while guaraná is a fruit native to Brazil, common in several drinks, specially soft drinks. : Curaçao liqueur is traditionally made with the dried peels of the laraha, a bitter orange native to Curaçao. The liqueur is distilled along with sweet fragrant oils, derived from the dried laraha peels. Following distillation blue or orange colors are added for an exotic appearance. : Pisco sour, Piscola : Aguardiente, coffee : Imperial, Cacique Guaro : Cuba Libre, Mojito, Daiquiri : Kubuli, Coconut rum punch : Mama Juana, Presidente (beer), coffee, rum, Brugal, Barceló (rum), Morir soñando : Chicha : Pilsener, Champagne cola : Rum Punch : Gallo : Mauby : Barbancourt is a rum produced and bottled in Haiti by Société du Rhum Barbancourt, one Haiti's oldest companies. It is made by distillation of sugar cane juice rather than the sugar cane by-product molasses. Fermentation of fresh sugar cane juice is considered to provide a more flavorful product. : Pinol : Rum Punch : Macuá : Seco Herrerano : Mate is an infusion that is prepared by soaking dried yerba mate leaves in hot water and served with a metal straw and a hollow calabash. This is served and shared in the round, making it an integral part of society. Its origin is shared with Argentina and Uruguay. Carrulim is an alcoholic beverage made from caña blanca paraguaya, rue, sugar and lemon juice. : Pisco sour's name comes from pisco, which is its base liquor, and the cocktail term sour, in reference to sour citrus juice and sweetener components. The drink originated in the city of Pisco. Inca Kola, a lemon verbena based soda, is also popular. (US): Piña colada : Rum : Bounty brand Rum : Golden Apple Juice : Kasiri : Queen's Park Swizzle : Mate, medio y medio, uvita (a type of fortified wine), grappamiel, amarga (a kind of bitter or amaro made of local herbs), schnaps made from local caña or grappa. : Rum, tizana
Europe
The "beer belt" in Europe includes Belgium, Germany, the UK, and Ireland, whereas the "wine belt" includes France and the Mediterranean countries like Spain, Italy, and Greece. Several drinks are common and particular to Slavic countries. Vodka is a clear alcoholic beverage made most often by distilling the liquid from fermented cereal grains and potatoes. Countries where vodka is identified as a national beverage have been referred to as the "vodka belt". Kvass is a traditional fermented non-alcoholic beverage commonly made from rye bread and is drunk in many Slavic countries, as well as Latvia and Lithuania. Kompot is another drink that is traditionally popular throughout this region and made by boiling together different fruit including strawberries, apricots, peaches, apples, and raisins in large volume of water and served hot or cold, depending on tradition and season. Fruit brandies are popular in the Balkans, while Brännvin and Akvavit are popular in Scandinavia.
: Raki : Brandy, Wine : Almdudler : Byarozavik is a traditional Belarusian drink made from birch sap, achieving widespread popularity in the Soviet Union before undergoing a modern resurgence. : Belgium is situated in the "Beer belt" and is known for its beers and breweries. There are over 1,400 kinds of beer and this alcoholic drink is important in Belgian social life. See Belgian beer culture and Beer in Belgium. : Rakija, coffee : Bulgaria considers Rakia to be its national beverage, as well as the place of origin of this distilled beverage that can be made from fruits like plums and apricots. : Rakija, Pelinkovac, Cedevita : Zivania, Brandy sour (unofficial) : Kofola, Pilsner is a pale lager originating in Plzeň. Becherovka is a traditional Czech bitter. : Akvavit, Brännvin, Snaps, Gammel Dansk : Vana Tallinn, Viru Valge, koduõlu (homebrew beer), kama : Coffee, Finlandia (vodka), Koskenkorva, Lonkero, Sahti : Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-colored (black) grape varieties. Champagne is a well known white wine from France. Cognac is a popular brandy from southwest France. Orangina is a popular soft drink in France. : Lager, Fanta, Spezi : Chacha and Red wine : Ouzo is a dry anise-flavoured aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece and Cyprus. : Pálinka : Brennivín, Appelsín : Irish whiskey is national alcohol. Guinness is the most popular Irish Stout. Club is a popular soft drink. : Chinotto is a type of carbonated soft drink produced from the juice of the fruit of the myrtle-leaved orange tree (Citrus myrtifolia); Wine; Spritz; Grappa; Espresso; Cappuccino : Rakia and Semoj, fermented cabbage juice : Riga Black Balsam : Blauburgunder : Midus, Gira : Crémant de Luxembourg : Kinnie, Bajtra liqueur (unofficial), cactus pear liquor, Maltese falcon : Divin (Distilled Wine, portmanteau of Distilat de Vin) : Champagne : Rakija : Jenever, Heineken : Rakija, Boza : Akvavit, Solo : Vodka is regarded a national beverage as some sources consider it to have originated in Poland, dating back to 15th century. Other distinctive alcoholic drinks feature bison grass vodka, krupnik, variety of traditional tinctures (nalewka) like piołunówka, along with traditional Polish meads. : Port wine is a sweet Portuguese fortified wine produced with distilled grape spirits in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal and is commonly served as a dessert wine. There are also distinct sorts of non port portuguese wines produced in particular regions. : Țuică, sometimes referred to as "white lightning" due to its clarity and potency, is a plum fruit brandy, that is distilled in a brass still, using traditional fire sources such as wood and charcoal. Țuică is traditionally drunk prior to meals and at celebrations. : Kvass is a traditional fermented non-alcoholic beverage commonly made from rye bread, and while kvass is seen as the national non-alcoholic drink, it is vodka that most Russians identify as their national alcoholic beverage.Ermochkine, Nicholas and Iglikowski, Peter (2003). 40 degrees east: an anatomy of vodka, Nova Publishers, p. 65, . Other national beverages include tea and kompot. : Biancale : Rakija, Šljivovica in particular. : Borovička is a juniper alcoholic spirit. Kofola is a traditional soft drink. : Schnapps, Cockta : Sangria, a punch traditionally consists of red wine and chopped fruit, often with other ingredients such as orange juice or brandy, Mirinda : Rebujito, Gazpacho : Cava, Wine, Ratafia, Cremat : Queimada : Horchata tiger nut variety, orxata de xufa. : Brännvin, Punsch, Akvavit, Julmust, Pommac, Champis, Vodka : Rivella, Schweppes : Horilka, Kvass, kompot : Tea : Gin, bitter,Oliver, Garrett, ed. (2012). The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oxford University Press. pp. 129–130. ISBN 978-0-19-536713-3. Pimms, Stout, Cider, blackcurrant cordial, Buck Fizz, Shandy, Dandelion and burdock Scotch is a whisky that is by law required to be both produced in Scotland and aged people in oak barrels for at least three years. Irn-Bru (pronounced "Iron Brew") is a sweet, fruity flavoured, soda with a rusty orange color that has been referred to as the country's "other national drink." : Perry Welsh Whisky : Wine
Africa
: Coffee, Tea : Cuca Beer : Sodabi : Chibuku Shake Shake is a traditional beer that originated in Botswana, and now other African countries manufacture it. Keone Mooka Mageu is a traditional fermented porridge, but it is drunk. Ginger beer is a favorite non-alcoholic homemade drink which is served at special occasions, like weddings and parties. : Zoomkoom : Sorghum beer : Grogue : Odontol : Karkanji, Coffee : Jus de Fruit, Tea : Singani : Lotoko : Akpeteshie : Lotoko : Kabisa (Djiboutian energy drink, there is no national or popular drink in Djibouti due to strict laws from the government.) : Black tea, Sugarcane juice : Malamba Juice : Siwa, coffee, araki, tea : Coffee, Tej : Sibebe : Regab : Ginger Beer : Akpeteshie (National spirit) : Malamba Juice : Cana de Cajeu : Tea, Dawa cocktail : Tholoana : Ginger beer : Libyan tea, Arabic coffee : Rum : Thobwa : Green tea : Tea, Zrig : Alouda : Moroccan mint tea (atai) is a green tea prepared with spearmint leaves and sugar. : Tipo Tinto : Oshikundu, Beer (Either brewed domestically or from Germany.) : Biere Niger : Akpeteshie : Ikigage, sorghum beer : Palm Wine : Bissap : Buka : Poyo : No official drink, however Shah hawaash (Cardamom tea), coffee, and camel milk are popular