Donald Trump’s global economic plans, in case you haven’t heard, involve tariffs. At the time of this article’s publication, he had announced—and paused, then announced again, and so on—tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, China, and the EU, including,  in some cases, alcohol. A substantial number of new, reciprocal tariffs are expected to be announced on April 2. 

As of now there are no tariffs on single malt scotch whisky, but the category—which totals over $1 billion in U.S. sales annually, including blends—was subject to a 25 percent levy during the first Trump administration, so it’s a fair bet that eventually it’ll fall victim again.

When that happens, scotch prices will go up. And whiskey buyers in 2025 are a lot more careful with their money than they were six years ago. So, it’s time to start looking at alternatives.

Scotland has cornered the single malt market for decades, and it sets a high standard, but it’s no longer the only game in town. Many countries elsewhere in the world are now making single malt; some of it highly unique, and some of it a dead ringer for a smooth Highland scotch. Of course, few global distillers invite the comparison to scotch: they want to compete on their own merits, not be seen as a lesser substitute.

But the beauty of single malt as a whiskey style is that it encompasses a wide and deep range of flavors—and sometimes the same flavors that are expressed by a traditional Speyside distillery can also come out of one that sits thousands of miles away.

Here, then, are some of our favorite scotch-like single malts made quite far from Scotland. Of course, if tariff chaos hits these countries too, there’s no telling which bottles will be a better deal. But these whiskies are still worthy of every scotch fan’s attention, even when trade waters are calm.

Six Global Single Malt Whiskies That Can Step in for Your Usual Scotch

Australia: The Morris Rutherglen Muscat Barrels ($80)

This Victoria distillery sits alongside a long-established winery, giving it access to high-quality, freshly dumped barrels—which allows the whisky to take on not just oak flavors, but all the richness of the wine that’s seeped into the wood grain. In this case, the sweet fortified Muscat imparts sherry-like notes of dark chocolate, leathery dried fruit, mulling spices, and roasted hazelnuts. It’s a luscious single malt ideal for post-prandial sipping.

France: Armorik Double Maturation ($50)

The French are prolific drinkers of scotch (perhaps because it’s “the drink of the liberators”), but they also make their own single malt whiskies to an exacting standard of quality and flavor. Armorik comes from Celtic-rooted Brittany—one of two French regions with a specific whisky GI—and its coastal environment influences the final flavor. Double Maturation starts off its aging process in Breton oak casks and finishes in oloroso sherry, yielding a profile that’s perfumy, floral, and fruit-forward, yet balanced with savory tobacco and leather notes.  

India: Indri Trini ($52)

A lush whisky matured in three cask types—bourbon, PX sherry, and French red wine—whose expressive flavors make a powerful match for a spirit that’s deeply fruity and complex. Layered notes of nuts, dark chocolate, leather, and spice unfold with each successive sip, leading to a lengthy, earthy finish. One of India’s standout single malts, made in the northern state of Haryana at Piccadily Distillery.

Japan: Yoichi 10-Year-Old ($150)

The century-old Japanese single malt tradition closely hews to that of scotch, since Masataka Taketsuru, the progenitor of the industry, first developed his knowledge of distillation and maturation in Scotland. So it’s no wonder that Yoichi, the single malt distillery he founded in 1934, turns out a sweet and smoky whisky that balances warm malt with apples, citrus, and candied nuts. It’s an OG that can go toe-to-toe with any scotch. 

New Zealand: Cardrona Growing Wings ($130)

Made at a picturesque stone distillery nestled in New Zealand’s Wānaka region from barley grown in nearby Canterbury, the liquid embodiment of the area’s rich agricultural bounty. Cardrona is a lithe, elegant whisky, even at just a few years old, its flavors shaped by custom-built Forsyth pot stills and refined in low-slung warehouses that embrace the region’s hot summers and snowy winters. Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, it’s got a creamy sweetness sprinkled with dry spice and nuts, and intensified by bottling at cask strength.  

United States: The Notch 15-Year-Old ($500)

This whiskey is guaranteed not to be tariffed since it’s made in Massachusetts, out on the windy exposure of Nantucket. Although most American single malt has leaned into highly unique, often regionally inflected flavor profiles, The Notch bears striking similarities to certain Highland scotches, perhaps because of the maritime influence of its environment. Yes, it’s spendy, but you’re buying American! And it really is top-notch whisky, period.