It’s been just over a year since I last took a 50-state spirits tour, and the craft-distilling scene has only continued to grow. Hundreds of scrappy brands are churning out booze of all kinds across the country, and, often, the best part of exploring is getting to taste the weird stuff: the limited editions, regional specialties and one-off flights of fancy that taste like nothing else in the world.
With that in mind, here’s a survey of the strangest spirit made in every state in the Union. From an obscure root-flavored liqueur native to Hawaii to a maple-syrup spirit distilled in Maine, there are all kinds of unusual flavors to be found here.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Von Humboldt’s Natur Wasser Tamarind Cordial ($40)
Inspired by Prussian naturalist and explorer Alexander Von Humboldt, who used tamarind to purify water on his expedition to Latin America at the turn of the 19th century, this cordial from Tamworth Distilling combines the tart seedpod with brown sugar, lemon and house-distilled spirit for a sweet-tangy-nutty treat. It was created in collaboration with Andrea Wulf, who wrote the fascinating Von Humboldt biography The Invention of Nature.
Read the whole list here: http://www.playboy.com/articles/the-strangest-spirit-made-in-every-state