Asia’s Top 10 Best-Rated Alcoholic Beverages In 2025, One Familiar Favourite Comes From India

Add as a preferred source on Google

Asia's drinking traditions are as layered as its food cultures. From fermented rice to grape-led wines and colonial-era cocktails that took on local character, alcohol across the continent has always been tied to history, climate, and everyday social life.

Photo Credit: Freepik

TasteAtlas' 2025 rankings based on global user ratings don't measure popularity or sales. They reflect how people actually respond to taste, balance, and cultural identity. The Top 100 list is a mix of ancient practices and modern habits, showing how wide the Asian palate really is. Below is a closer look at the Top 10 beverages from the list that made the cut.

Umeshu (Japan)

Topping the list is Umeshu, a Japanese plum liqueur made by steeping ume fruit in alcohol and sugar. Its appeal lies in contrast-sweetness balanced by sharp fruit acidity. Often served diluted or over ice, it's widely associated with home kitchens as much as bars, which adds to its emotional pull.

Öküzgözü (Türkiye)

Named after the grape it's made from, Öküzgözü is a red wine from eastern Türkiye. It's known for its fresh fruit notes and softer structure, making it approachable without being simplistic. Its high ranking reflects growing interest in regional wines outside traditional European strongholds.

Gin And Tonic (India)

The Gin and Tonic's placement may surprise some, but TasteAtlas lists it under India due to its long association with the subcontinent. Originally introduced during colonial times, it evolved into a climate-friendly drink that stuck. Its ranking has more to do with balance and familiarity than novelty.

Junmai Sake (Japan)

Junmai is one of the most traditional styles of sake, brewed using only rice, water, yeast, and koji. With no added alcohol, its flavour tends to be fuller and more grounded. It represents the disciplined side of Japanese brewing, where restraint is part of the taste.

Japanese Whisky (Japan)

Japanese whisky continues to earn global respect for precision and consistency. Influenced by Scottish methods but shaped by local water and climate, it's often described as measured and refined. Its place on the list reflects years of steady reputation-building rather than sudden trends.

Makgeolli (South Korea)

Makgeolli is a lightly fermented rice drink with a cloudy appearance and gentle fizz. Once seen as rustic, it has found renewed interest among younger drinkers. Its taste-slightly sweet, slightly tangy-mirrors its cultural role as something shared, not showcased.

Kalecik Karası (Türkiye)

Another Turkish wine on the list, Kalecik Karası comes from Ankara's surrounding regions. Lighter than many reds, it focuses on drinkability and aroma rather than weight. Its inclusion highlights how indigenous grapes are gaining overdue recognition.

Chūhai (Japan)

Short for "shōchū highball," Chūhai is a mixed drink typically combining shōchū with soda and fruit flavouring. It's casual, widely available, and designed for ease rather than ceremony. Its ranking reflects how everyday drinks can still score highly on taste.

Boğazkere (Türkiye)

Boğazkere is bolder and more tannic than Öküzgözü, often requiring aging to soften its edges. It's a wine that rewards patience, both in production and drinking. TasteAtlas users seem to appreciate its intensity when done well.

Singapore Sling (Singapore)

Closing the Top 10 is the Singapore Sling, a cocktail tied closely to place and story. With gin, fruit liqueurs, and citrus elements, it reflects Southeast Asia's preference for layered flavours. Its inclusion underlines how cocktails, too, can carry cultural weight.

What stands out in TasteAtlas' 2025 list is variety. There's no single flavour profile, no dominant country, and no attempt to crown one "best" drinking culture. Instead, the rankings show how taste is shaped by geography, tradition, and daily life.

This list isn't an endorsement or an invitation-it's a snapshot of how people across the world respond to Asia's diverse brewing and distilling histories. And in that sense, it's more about culture than consumption.