New whiskey distilleries are opening up in Scotland and production is revving up at existing ones as sales take off in emerging markets. As with everything, China is driving part of this growth, but did you know sales have increased 44% in Brazil and 25% in Mexico? Ay Chihuahua!

That’s according to this story, As world develops a taste, Scotch Whiskies Pour it On.

The big question is, do consumers in these countries suddenly prefer the taste of Scotch over that of rum, pisco, or tequila, or is drinking it just a way to confer status? “Consumers will try to make statements about their success, and whisky is perfect for that,” says Sebastian Concha, global drinks analyst at insight firm Mintel. “This is a big driver across all of the developing world.”

Put on the Prada, pack up the Porche, and grab a bottle of Scotch for a gift.

The one odd stat in that article is that sales to Venezuela are up 73%, to a shipment value of 116 million pounds sterling. That more than $150 million wholesale value. That implies a lot more wealthy people are left in Venezuela that any other stats would indicate. I smell a smuggling ring…

The plummeting euro has been all over the news the past few months. In a strange twist of fate, the non-Chavez-leaning countries of Latin America are looking like models of fiscal stability now compared to their colonial cousins in Spain and Portugal.

The euro is at its lowest level in five years against the greenback as the flight to safety continues. So what does that mean for your travels to Latin America?

Not much, actually. As I’ve pointed out on here before, many of the currencies in Central America and South America move in lockstep with the U.S. dollar. In Ecuador and Panama, the dollar is the currency—you don’t even need to change money upon arrival. In others, like Honduras and Belize, there is a very narrow trading range.

The most volatile exchange rates are the ones attached to the most developed roaring economies: Chile and Brazil. Expect a lot of volatility if you’re heading to those commodity-rich nations. Things are a little brighter right now though: the dollar is up 6% in Brazil and 7.1% in Chile since the new year started.

The bad news is, that’s coming off a very strong 2009 for those currencies. The news is worse elsewhere, with the dollar faltering a bit against the currencies of Colombia, Guatemala, Peru, Uruguay, and Costa Rica. Not by much though—the declines are all under 5%.

Mexico is basically flat for the year, which means around 12.5 to the dollar—still a great exchange rate in historic terms. Argentina is still hovering around 3.9 to the dollar, after being at 3-to-1 before last year. (Unfortunately, they’re making up for it with high inflation and increased visa fees upon arrival.)

Does any of this matter if the changes aren’t dramatic? Not a whole lot for your biggest expenses. If you book a tour with a company marketing to North Americans, they’re pricing things in dollars anyway. Most luxury hotels set their rates in dollars as well in this hemisphere, with Brazil being the main exception. Latin America real estate may or may not be priced in the local currency: it depends on the target market and the location.

Where you really lose or win is when you buy things or services that are priced in local terms. When the dollar is strong, you will pay less for taxis, restaurant meals outside the hotel, and excursions you book with a local company not affiliated with your hotel. Local flights will usually be in the local currency, except for places like Peru and Argentina where they like to play the game called “soak the foreigners.”

Naturally if you’re living somewhere for a while in a vacation home or retirement home, these fluctuations matter more. They then affect your property expenses and labor expenses.

To see historic exchange rates, follow this link to fxtop.com

We’re busy editing new hotel reviews for Colombia and Peru, but meanwhile here’s some worthy Latin American travel reading material from around the web.

It’s hard to put together a decent round-up of the entire giant country of Mexico. This piece from The Independent newspaper in the UK does a pretty good job of it though. Traveller’s Guide to Mexico: 2010

BlackBook has a great piece up on the revitalization of Medellin, the city that has moved from murder capital of the world to a pleasant city with outdoor cafes in the space of two decades. Here’s my favorite quote: “At one point, Escobar was spending $2500 per month on rubber bands to hold cash together.”

Yesterday the Wall Street Journal included a whole special section on Brazil. If you need a primer on the government and the economy there, dive in. For travelers, the best part is chef Paulo Barroso’s picks for the 10 best restaurants in Sao Paulo.

I just hired the writer of the Latin Flyer blog to review newcomer Estancia Vik in Uruguay for us. See his picks here for 7 interesting hotels in Uruguay. (His rundown includes one we do have reviewed, Mantra Resort and Spa.)

I noted last week that we had added a review of the vastly upgraded Tivoli in São Paulo, Brazil and we’ve got another addition to our reviews there up now too: L’Hotel Porto Bay.

L’Hotel Porto Bay is one of those hidden gems you don’t hear much about except from those who are in the know.

This 80-room hotel brings a lot of Europe to South America in the attitude and decor and it is a favorite with business executives and diplomats rather than rock stars and trust fund entourages. Choose this one for a “tranquil, old-world ambiance” in the “chaotic nerve center” of the city.

And here’s something you don’t see very often in Brazil:

“American travelers represent the largest contingent of foreign guests (Brazil’s Citibank headquarters lie a block away), which perhaps explains the fact that everyone – from the reception staff to the maid who brings evening chocolates and turns down your bed – breaks into fluent English the minute they suspect it’s your native tongue.”

See our full review of L’Hotel Porto Bay.

We continue to expand our hotel coverage in Brazil with the addition of the DPNY Beach Hotel (a favorite getaway for wealthy Sao Paulo residents) on the southern coast. It’s situated in a cove on the Ilhabela island, making it the closest thing to a private beach you get in Brazil. On that beach you find “an intricate maze of beach chairs, parasols, four-poster beds, and teepees (for the privacy starved and sun-shy). All of the above come with white leather cushions or mattresses and enormous zebra-skin pillows upon which you can very easily fall asleep.”

DPNY tries hard to be a hipster hotel, with its name made of initials, the party going until sunrise, and a DJ spinning tunes in the public areas all hours day and night. But our correspondent Michael Sommers says it’s done with the right attitude.

“DPNY achieves the rare feat of being mind-blowingly original in a way that pays homage to Brazilians’ talent for combining disparate elements to create works of great singularity. What saves DPNY from being too hip is its emphasis on casualness and playfulness—happily, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.”

He says the views here are heavenly, but upgrade from a standard room if you want any natural light in your room. Overall though, this is a winner. “If you’re in the mood for fun in the sun amidst beautiful surroundings, you won’t be disappointed.” See the full review of DPNY.