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Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Book Review: Whisky by Aeneas MacDonald

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Book Review: Whisky by Aeneas MacDonald

Prominently displayed on the most recent reissue cover of Whisky, by Aeneas MacDonald, sits a quote from renowned whisky expert Dave Broom, which reads:

The finest whisky book ever 

That’s quite a bold statement to make but much like the mysterious Aeneas Macdonald himself, it should be considered in context. Whisky, is an odd book; in fact, the original published in 1930 was one of the first books written on the subject, quite surprising considering whisky has been around for much longer than that. The best feature of this 2016 edition is the addition of commentary and annotations by Ian Buxton. I enjoyed Ian’s analysis and what it brings to MacDonald’s book and am glad I bought an annotated edition rather than an unadulterated version, but let me explain why.

Will The Real Aeneas MacDonald Please Stand Up?

Aeneas MacDonald was a pen name, for George Malcolm Thomson, born in 1899 and founder of the Porpoise Press – original publisher Whisky. MacDonald (used from this point on for simplicity) made a conscious decision to keep his real name out of the pages of his book, part of which was to avoid accusations of hubris for self-publishing his own work; something that has less of a stigma these days.

Whisky, is not the kind of book you would find published on the subject today.

It is light on facts and well-research material but rather, is filled with strong opinions that set the conditions for whisky snobbery for decades to come. I recognised many of MacDonald’s sentiments shared by my own father, passed down to him by his father. For example, broad reaching opinions like the superiority of Highland whisky and inferiority of Lowlands whisky in comparison. MacDonald was no whisky expert, although he was clearly a fan and a staunchly patriotic Scott. In writing his book, Macdonald would have drawn on earlier trade publications, his own opinion seemingly formed primarily from those of his old Edinburgh University professor and a splash of myth and legend.

What makes Whisky stand out from other whisky books is its differences, as explained in the Forward by Ian Buxton:

Too many of today’s whisky books are little more than lists: handsomely produced, well illustrated and comprehensive to a fault but with the soul of a draper’s catalogue. Others might be mistaken for material straight from the distiller’s own well-funded publicity machine, and a third category distributes marks out of a hundred to Glen This, Glen That and Glen The Other with mechanical certainty of a drab provincial accountant. 

Despite its faults, of which there are many, you should be able to appreciate why Broom considers Whisky by Aeneas MacDonald to be such a fine book on the subject.

But What of The Book Itself?

While some of MacDonald’s book may be grossly outdated or simply incorrect, some of it is still true today and at times even contemporary in attitude, such as his views on distillery transparency. MacDonald shares his views on what separates whisky from other alcoholic drinks such as wine, expressing his disdain for ‘the drinkers-to-get-drunk’ who imbibe whisky not for pleasure but ‘simply in order to obtain a certain physical effect.’ MacDonald laments the status of whisky at the time as merely a potent spirit rather than a complex and prestigious drink to be appreciated by connoisseurs and offers readers this delightful definition:

Whisky is a re-incarnation; it is made by a sublimation of coarse and heavy barely malt; the spirit leaves that earthly body, disappears, and by lovely metempsychosis returns to the world in the form of a liquid exquisitely pure and impersonal. 

MacDonald touches on the history and production of whisky in his early chapters making a few generalisations that are simply untrue today, such as a distinguishing factor of Highland whisky being a ‘smokiness’ from the malt being dried in peat-fired kilns; or simply incorrect such as his confident proclamation that the cask the whisky is matured in imparts no additional qualities to the whisky other than colour. Peated whisky is more commonly attributed to the Islands region of Scotland these days, but there are always exceptions and cask maturation does have a significant effect on the flavour and aroma of whisky.

Of interest to me was the short section on Campbeltown at the time of MacDonald writing in 1930. Campbeltown is my favourite Scotch whisky-producing region, although it only contains three active whisky distilleries today. In 1930 there were 122 distilleries in Scotland (there are around 100 now) of which ten operated in Campbeltown, including my namesake Kinloch Distillery. MacDonald describes Campbeltown whiskies as:

…the double bases of the whisky orchestra. They are potent, full-bodied, pungent whiskies, with a flavour that is not to the liking of everyone. 

At the time of writing his book, Campbeltown whisky was in the midst of crisis with most of the local distilleries closing in the 1920s and ‘30s in a geographically small region once home to 28 whisky producing distilleries.

The final chapter in MacDonald’s relatively short book is titled ‘Judging, Purchase, and Care’ and most of the information contained within maintains its relevance to this day.

Whisky by Aeneas MacDonald is a time capsule in Scotch whisky appreciation. Part poetry, part prejudice and very Scottish. The book’s charm is in the differences that distinguish it from modern books on the subject, but it does benefit from the moderation of Ian Buxton, who brings a layer of facts and informed interpretation to many of MacDonald’s more controversial claims.

Recommended, but approach Whisky by Aeneas MacDonald as more of a delightful curio, rather than a modern whisky reference.

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WhiskyDad’s Guide to Father’s Day

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WhiskyDad’s Guide to Father’s Day

Father’s Day is almost upon us (In Australia, it’s on the first Sunday in September) and if your father or husband is a WhiskyDad like me, look no further than my Father's Day guide for the WhiskyDad in your life (not just my own wishlist).

Whisky

The most obvious gift could also be the hardest to choose because you want to buy something your dad will like. My suggestion is to raid his whisky cabinet and find out what he drinks. You could either play it safe and buy what he already has or you could buy him something similar that he may not have tried before. The easiest way to do this would be to talk to the proprietor of a specialist whisky bottle shop and tell them what he drinks and ask for a recommendation of something similar. But if that isn’t possible, allow me to give you some loose rules.

He likes all whisky

By far the easiest dad to buy whisky for since you could buy him just about anything and he would enjoy drinking it. That said, I would look at what he usually drinks and buy something around the same price point.
This WhiskyDad knows what he likes, but what about what he doesn’t know he likes? 
He only drinks Jack Daniel’s

This WhiskyDad knows what he likes, but what about what he doesn’t know he likes? Jack Daniel’s and all its many special and limited editions, is a Tennessee whiskey. What’s a Tennessee whiskey? It’s bourbon, with an extra charcoal filtration step. A great alternative to Jack Daniel’s is another readily available Tennessee whiskey, George Dickel. George Dickel comes in No.8, No.12 and X varieties and my pick would be George Dickel No. 12 as a legitimate (and in my opinion, superior) alternative to Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7.

He’s a Peat Freak

This WhiskyDad loves his whisky smoky. Chances are he will drink anything from Islay but that isn’t the only peated whisky available. Look for any of these, Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Bruichladdich, Kilchoman, Bowmore, Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Laphroaig; or outside of Islay, Springbank, Longrow, Kilkerran, Talisker, Ledaig or Highland Park. Failing that, anything with ‘Peat’ in the label like independent bottlers Douglas Laing’s Big Peat or Compass Box’s Peat Monster should be fine.

He only drinks the cheap stuff

There’s nothing wrong with drinking whisky that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, but chances are if it’s cheap, it’s a blended whisky. Not all blended whiskies are equal and some are quite expensive. One of the most famous and popular blended whiskies is Johnnie Walker. Johnnie Walker comes in a number of varieties that get progressively expensive of which Johnnie Walker Black Label and Double Black are a good balance of reasonable price and quality.
This may sound a little controversial, but most Irish whiskey is no different to Scotch whisky. 
He likes Irish Whiskey

This may sound a little controversial, but most Irish whiskey is no different to Scotch whisky. If you look at the ingredients and the way both are made, there really isn’t a lot of difference between Scotch and Irish Whiskey other than the country of origin. There are a few exceptions but if you are going to buy an Irish whiskey, buy a Single Pot Still Irish whiskey like Redbreast, Green Spot, Yellow Spot or Powers. These are quintessentially Irish whiskeys and are quite different from any Scotch whisky.



He likes the burn

Does your dad like a whisky that burns in his chest and warms his insides? Then you should get him a cask strength whisky. Cask strength means the whisky is bottled at or near the ABV% it was straight from the cask. Most whisky is diluted with water before bottling to reduce the ABV% to a standard figure such as 40%, 43% or 46%. My pick for a cask strength whisky would be Aberlour A’bunah.
The older the whisky, the more influence the cask has over the flavour and often colour. 
He likes darker coloured whisky

If you dad drinks whisky that is generally darker and more amber than your average whisky, chances are it is ex-sherry cask (barrel) matured. Most whisky is matured in either ex-bourbon or ex-sherry casks. The older the whisky, the more influence the cask has over the flavour and often the colour. Ex-bourbon cask matured whisky usually has a vanilla dominant flavour whereas ex-sherry cask whisky has a dried fruit or Christmas Cake dominant flavour. Oh, he likes traditional Christmas Cake? Then ex-sherry cask matured whisky is a safe bet such as the excellent BenRiach 12 Year Old Sherry Wood Matured.

Something Australian

There are plenty of very good Australian whiskies on the market. Obviously, these are much easier to obtain from within Australia. Most are quite expensive, around $200 for 500ml, but not all are, such as Starward Wine Cask Edition which can be picked up from Dan Murphy’s for around $80-$90 for a 700ml bottle. Being originally from Tasmania myself, it would be remiss of me not to recommend a Tasmania whisky so how about a Lark Cask Strength from the distillery that started the recent whisky boom across the island state.

Something unexpected

There is nothing quite like surprising a Scotch snob with a great-tasting whisky from an unexpected region of the world. Did you know that India produces some amazing single malt whisky? I guarantee your Scotch-loving dad will enjoy either the Paul John Classic Select Cask or Amrut Fusion if they prefer a peated whisky.

Whisky gifts other than whisky

There are plenty of gift ideas for the whisky-loving dad other than whisky; consider some of these.

Something edible

Fancy yourself a bit of a cook? How about making some whisky fudge, some whisky cured bacon or whisky jerky? You could even ‘borrow’ some of your dad’s whisky to flavour it. Just don’t borrow the really expensive stuff.
The world of specialist whisky glassware can be a load of wank, but not all glasses are equal when it comes to drinking whisky. 
Whisky glasses

The world of specialist whisky glassware can be a load of wank, but not all glasses are equal when it comes to drinking whisky. In my opinion, the pinnacle of shape (performance), weight (comfort) and value (some glasses cost upwards of $50 each) is the Glencairn glass. These can be picked up for as little as $10-$17 each and are a great choice for a whisky-loving dad. There is even a more expensive crystal version of the Glencairn glass if you want something a little fancier.

If your dad drinks his whisky with a mixer, go for a nice crystal tumbler instead.

If you want something a little different, how about a quaich? A quaich is a shallow Scottish two-handed drinking cup. They can be made of metal such as pewter or silver but are traditionally carved from wood.

Artwork and accessories

A map of the whisky distilleries of Scotland by Manuscript Maps is an excellent gift for a WhiskyDad and looks great on any whisky fan’s wall. Factor in extra for postage and framing to get the best out of it.

Angel’s Share Glass make some great whisky themed accessories such as Glencairn shaped cufflinks.

Books

There are stacks of great books on whisky that would make excellent Father’s Day gifts. The World Atlas of Whisky is an excellent and hefty coffee table book whereas Whisk(e)y Distilled is more portable by no less detailed.

Pens

Check out these awesome pens, made from ex-bourbon barrels. They can even be personalised – I would love a couple of these myself. Hint, hint.
Image © bourbonpens.com 

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Book Review: Whisk(e)y Distilled by Heather Greene

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Book Review: Whisk(e)y Distilled by Heather Greene

Original cover image provided by Heather Greene and used with permission.

I reviewed the Audible and Kindle editions of Whisk(e)y Distilled: A Populist Guide to the Water of Life and must begin by complimenting the excellent narration of the audiobook version by Tavia Gilbert. It was a pleasure to listen to and I felt like I was in the company of the author throughout. My only issue will be if I ever meet Heather Greene in person as I will no doubt be surprised when her voice does not sound like Tavia’s.

Heather Greene, is one of the most prominent and at times outspoken figures in the world of whisky. She was once a brand ambassador for whisky giant Glenfiddich but at the time of writing this book, was director of whiskey education at the Flat Iron room whiskey school in Manhattan and restaurant sommelier. Heather now writes freelance and travels the world teaching and consulting about spirits and has appeared on television as an expert in the field. Heather writes in a style and voice with a no-bullshit attitude to whisky that instantly appealed to my sentiments and compelled me to read on.

The topic of women and whiskey dominated my conversations so much that some reporters even though my book was about women and whiskey, or written specifically for them. It’s not. This is a book about whiskey. Plain and simple. 

The book begins with how Heather got into whisky in the first place; an industry that many still find surprising to see a woman reach positions of prominence in. Competing with the digital music revolution of the early 2000’s, Heather reluctantly left a professional music career and was hired by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh, Scotland. Despite facing male prejudice regularly, Heather built a lucrative career around whisky. She establishes her credibility early in the book and for me drove home the dream of following your passion and finding a job that you love; something I hope my blog will one day lead to for myself.

Like many books on the subject, Whisk(e)y Distilled covers all the whisky fundamentals, such as history, production and regions with a welcome focus on whisky appreciation. Even detailing how to organise and run your own whisky tasting event. Her explanation of the whisky making process is excellent; one of the best I have read. It is written in a logical sequence and in easy to understand language that anyone could follow.

No palate is the gold standard, and no one tastes quite like you do. 

Heather’s thoughts on how to discover your own palate and the importance of nose and sense of smell were very interesting to read. She also manages to delve into basic organic chemistry and aromatic molecules without losing someone like me with only a modest grasp on the subject. I like how she emphasises the subjectiveness of aroma and taste and that it is ok to disagree. Whisky is a very personal thing and tasting notes should be seen only as a guide not as a ‘gold standard’ or as the correct notes. She discusses nosing technique to maximise the chance of isolating aromas and to minimise alcohol burn and olfactory numbing, without all the wank that often encroaches debates on the subject. 

In fact, Heather’s propensity to tackle the misinformation often touted by whisky snobs and dismiss common myths is welcome and encourages an inclusive whisky culture rather than the rubbish elitist scene that pollutes some social circles; a view that appeals to my own ideals. Regardless if you are not sure what you should or shouldn’t believe or if perhaps you think you already know everything, Heather will set you straight; personally, I learnt quite a few things.

…whisky loving in Scotland is far from snobbery, even if in America those two words—‘Scotch’ and ‘snob’—are often drawn together like magnets. You are more likely to share drams with a local lorry driver finishing his weekly whisky transport down the A1 to Glasgow from Dufftown than with someone holding the latest literary novel or a golf club. 

So who should buy this book and why should you buy this over other books about whisky? A quick search online will reveal that there are many books written on the subject and not all of them are equal. Whisk(e)y Distilled stands above many of the other offerings and managed to engage me from beginning to end. What I loved most about this book was the way it was written. I felt like I was having a chat with the author over a dram; perhaps facing each other from comfy chesterfields in front of a crackling fire. There's a certain contagious energy that someone has when discussing a topic they love and it's rare for that passion to translate to the written word quite as well as Heather manages to do in her book. This may even be my favourite whisky book to date and I highly recommended it for both the whisky novice and aficionado alike.


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Book Review: The World Atlas of Whisky by Dave Broom

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Book Review: The World Atlas of Whisky by Dave Broom

© by Dave Broom, used with permission from Octopus Publishing.

Coffee table books disappear after you have children. They migrate to the top of bookshelfs, safe from grubby little destructive hands. I haven’t even owned a coffee table for years; what’s the point, when anything you place on it is fair game or a juicy target for all manner of toddler projectiles? That does not mean however, that you no longer have or collect the glossy, interesting, picture filled conversation pieces that are good coffee table books. They just no longer take pride of place in front of your favourite recliner, since your living room became a battlefield.

The World Atlas of Whisky by Dave Broom is the ultimate coffee table book for the whisky enthusiast, whisky curious or whisky pretentious. This hard back, slip covered (would last five seconds with my kids) tome, is just as hefty as any encyclopaedia, world atlas or reference book you would have seen as a kid, before the Internet made them obsolete; it even has maps! The main difference is this book is devoted solely to the wondrous world of whisky; how it is made, how it smells and tastes but mostly, where it comes from.

The book begins with a primer on what whisky is that covers all the main areas you would expect from a book about whisky. It isn’t the best introduction to whisky that I have read and can be a little hard to understand if you are completely new to the topic, but it does a reasonable job. Other than the maps, the unique aspect of The World Atlas of Whisky is the introduction of Flavour Camps and the Single Malt Whisky Flavour Map.

All the whiskies mentioned in this book are placed into one of five distinct camps (or four for North American style whiskeys) that group the whiskies together based on their flavour profiles. These are Fragrant & Floral, Malty & Dry, Fruity & Spicy, Rich & Round and Smokey & Peaty. There are also four other Flavour Camps that are specific to North American style whiskeys, namely Soft Corn, Sweet Wheat, Rich & Oaky and Spicy Rye. This is a very handy system for learning what style of whisky you like. If your favourite whisky falls into the Fruity & Spicy group, you can easily find other whiskies with similar flavour profiles that you may also enjoy. Likewise, if you dislike a specific whisky you can look up other similar whiskies which you may prefer to avoid for the time being.

The Single Malt Whisky Flavour Map (a collaboration between Dave Broom and Diageo Scotland Limited) builds on the Flavour Camps, presenting the information visually by placing specific whiskies onto a quadrant chart. Each example whisky is represented as a dot (colour coded by Flavour Camp) and its position on the chart determines its flavour characteristics. Towards the top is Smoky and towards the bottom is Delicate. The further left the lighter the whisky is, the further to the right, the richer the whisky is. It is an excellent system and highlights a few areas where the Flavour Camps cross over.

But this is an Atlas after all, and it would not be an Atlas without maps and The World Atlas of Whisky has many. The main purpose of the maps is to show the reader the locations of the over 200 distilleries detailed in this book. I am planning a whisky distillery trip to Scotland in 2018 and this book will no doubt prove invaluable. It covers Scotland in greatest detail, further breaking down the country into recognised whisky regions and then splitting these regions where required to provide sufficient detail and separation of some of the more densely populated areas. Ireland, Japan, the USA, Canada and the rest of the world are also covered but the level of detail is not quite as exhaustive as Scotland of which almost half the book is dedicated to.
You could quite easily just flip through the book and admire the photographs 

The photography throughout this book is spectacular, from stunning landscapes to the glistening copper stills within distilleries and warehouses full of whisky barrels, to detailed close-ups of ingredients or the finished products. You could quite easily just flip through the book and admire the photographs. They complement the written words and the highly detailed maps perfectly helping to create a very high quality complete package.

Lastly but not least, each distillery featured on the maps is given an introduction, often with interesting snippets of information from key figures such as master distillers and tasting notes of a selection of their whisky expressions including New Make, which is the freshly distilled spirit prior to being placed in barrels for ageing. I found it quite interesting to see the evolution of the New Makes across a series of tasting notes for each distillery. It is also handy to have consistent language across all the tasting notes within.

This is the second edition of The World Atlas of Whisky and was published in 2014. I would expect a new edition to be released in the next couple of years. If you are a whisky enthusiast, I cannot recommend this book enough and if you are looking for the perfect give for the whisky lover in your life (other than whisky) look no further than this exceptional whisky reference. Just keep it away from grubby little fingers.

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Book Review: Tasting Whiskey by Lew Bryson

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Book Review: Tasting Whiskey by Lew Bryson

Cover photography by © Keller + Keller Photography, taken from Tasting Whiskey, © by Lewis M. Bryson, used with permission from Storey Publishing.

You know you are really getting into something when you go looking for books on the subject. Not long ago, books were the only way to ‘lean stuff’ and my kids will never know the joy of owning a whole bookcase’s worth of dusty outdated encyclopaedias. Thanks to the invention of the Internet and the cementing of the word ‘google’ into the English language, most of us now turn to the Internet first when seeking information on any given subject. I think it would be safe to assume that since you are reading this post, on the Internet, that you fall into that group. But there are times when only a good tree-killing book will do and if you are looking for a great one on the topic of whisky/whiskey, look no further than, Tasting Whiskey: An Insider’s Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World’s Finest Spirits by Lew Bryson.

Lew Bryson is an American author and journalist who has written professionally about beer and spirits since 1995, including a 19-year stint as Managing Editor of Whisky Advocate magazine and maintains a blog called Through the Glass (link in the Blogroll at the bottom of the page). Tasting Whiskey was the first serious book that I read on the subject of whisky and I found it to be an excellent primer for beginning my whisky journey. Almost the entire first half of the book is dedicated to explaining how whisky came to be, what it is, how it is made and a detailed breakdown of where the unique flavours and characteristics of various whiskies come from. The remainder of the book covers the main whisky regions of Scotland, Ireland, USA, Canada and Japan. Lastly, the final few chapters cover craft whiskies, mixers and cocktails, matching whisky with food and collecting whisky.

This book touches on everything you could ever want to know about whisky and will satisfy all but the most studious of whisky enthusiasts. 

One of the things I like most about this book is the author’s acceptance of all things whisky and his resistance to judge anyone on their choice of drink or how they choose to drink it. He often states that it is your drink and your right to drink it any way you please. It is a refreshing break from some self-proclaimed whisky experts who can be very judgemental in their opinion of the right and wrong way to drink whisky and are quick to place some whisky on a pedestal and completely ignore others. Lew Bryson’s attitude for whisky acceptance and experiencing the broadest sample as possible, aligns perfectly with my own attitude and that of this blog.

Since deciding to become serious about my whisky drinking, I have read a few books and countless web pages on the topic but I am yet to find a better explanation about the whisky making process than this book. Lew has a skill for breaking down complex processes into easy to understand components and then giving a detailed yet straightforward description of how all these pieces come together. The parts about the chemistry of whisky ageing and the creation of aromatic esters for example, didn’t confuse my non-chemist brain but instead sparked my interest enough to research more on the topic.

This book touches on everything you could ever want to know about whisky and will satisfy all but the most studious of whisky enthusiasts. This is the book that I recommend to everyone I meet who is interested in whisky and would like to learn more. Tasting Whiskey is informative, easy to read and understand and a perfect gift for the whisky fan in your life. 


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Note about Affiliate Links: If you make a purchase by following one of the above links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you do this, thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy the product.
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