'Nog To The World: 12 'Eggnogs' To Try Around The World (Slideshow)

Aguardiente, which loosely translates to "firewater" is a spirit made with anise and is not for the faint of heart. Locals sip it alongside a lager after a long day's work, or stir a few pours into juice for a potent tropical punch. During the holidays, aguardiente is mixed with sweetened milk to make sabajón, eggnog's Colombian cousin. Travelers can taste a decidedly upscale version at Cartagena's Hotel Tcherassi, where the swish Aquabar serves an elegant Sabajón Gin Fizz. It combines feijoa sabajón with milk, gin and fresh lime. It comes chilled and topped with a spritz of soda, to combat the sultry Cartagena heat. 

Invented in Taichung teashops, milk tea, also called boba and bubble tea, is a Taiwanese institution. Flavored with fruit or milk, the filling, frothy beverage is served both hot and cold, and typically involves some combination of Taiwanese black tea, condensed milk, small tapioca pearls and honey. This winter, the swanky Regent Taipei serves a crowd-pleasing Ginger Taro Milk Tea. Regent's take turns milk tea into something of an Eastern eggnog, combining traditional milk tea with hearty, house-made taro mousse, a splash of ginger juice and a pinch of dark brown sugar. Hotel guests and locals alike sip the stuff throughout the holiday season, which here extends through January 31for Chinese New Year.

In the 1970s, the après-ski set on the chic slopes of northwestern Italy created the bombardino, a bold pairing of Dutch advocaat liqueur (or its marsala-infused Italian cousins, VOV or Zabov) with brandy or whiskey. Served warm and topped with whipped cream, it's a hearty, heady way to beat the winter chill. At Valle d'Aosta's sweeping Hermitage Hotel & Spa, Alpine skiers sip bombardini at the base of the Matterhorn. Those looking to put an extra spring in their step can add a shot of espresso by ordering a calimero, named for a hapless, hyper Italian cartoon character. Don't say we didn't warn you.

While Christmas is celebrated throughout Scotland, the bigger holiday is New Year's Eve's epic Hogmanay. Late-night revelry includes everything from baking shortcake to drinking with neighbors, so the Jan.1 "morning cup" is suitably substantial. Named Auld Man's Milk after native son Robert Burns' seasonal anthem "Auld Lang Syne," the dram combines whisky and sweetened cream with whipped, separated eggs. Chef Michael Smith of the Highlands' Three Chimneys serves his family-style, with a half-pint of whisky and a thin slice of lemon peel. Slainte!

Although their version is nonalcoholic, Emiratis can teach the world a thing or two about nog. Throughout the UAE, chilled camel's milk is blended with pitted dates in a surprisingly healthy take on the hearty beverage. In keeping with Arab hospitality, the date drink is often offered as a welcome beverage to houseguests throughout the year. At Abu Dhabi's luxe desert resort Qasr Al Sarab, it's lightly sweetened with local honey and presented to guests upon arrival.

Named for former Chilean president Pedro "Monkey" Montt, Chile's spirited holiday beverage combines coffee, milk, and pisco. Called cola de mono (translation: "monkey's tail"), the festive drink is served chilled to combat warm December temperatures. Those heading to the Southern Hemisphere should hit Valparaíso's new Palacio Astoreca, a national landmark-turned-boutique hotel with a restaurant by an elBulli alum. Chef Sergio Barroso serves a killer cola de mono made with local tonka beans, star anise, and an elegant, semi-frozen coffee "cloud."