For many corners of the world, the holidays are arriving. And though drinks of course are flowing all over the world, all year long, we wanted to take this moment to look around and raise our glass to 11 places and their spirits of choice.

The Wine and Spirit Research publish a list on global alcohol consumption annually and these figures both reinforce and contradict some of the most popular clichés about people’s drinking habits.

Moldova came in at the top in the most recent study, guzzling down a total of 18.22 liters of pure alcohol per capita. At the other end of the scale were Afghanistan and Yemen. 

Do the Russians really love vodka? Is Gin and Tonic the top tipple in London? Who loves whiskey more than the Scots? Where is it easier to get hold of beer than water or soda?

We mapped places with some things you may not have known about their drinking culture…

Photo by Sam Howzit via Flickr