Books

"Ardbeg : A Peaty Provenance" is a large format 216 page book published as a tribute to the distillery's 190 year history and to recognise the past 10 years of its remarkable revival from closure and dereliction to becoming possibly the most sought after whisky today. With a detailed history, setting the record straight and highlighting some overlooked figures, the book gives an intriguing and complete account with contributions from former and present employees together with Ardbeg fans and collectors. Colourfully and attractively written, the story is supported with many large and stunning images, both historical and current.

A must for every Ardbeg enthusiast and a captivating book for all, regardless of the level of interest in Scotch and the making of whisky.

Hardcover, 216 pages, 300 x 230mm

This is Michael Jackson's essential read for the whisky connoisseur. Discover all about whisky from this new and updated 6th edition of the classic, definitive guide to malt whiskies, by the late Michael Jackson. You'll learn everything you wanted to know about your favourite dram. From why you should choose Islay, the Islands, or the Highlands, to which whiskies are light and flowery, or rich and treacly. Find whisky tasting notes on over 1,000 malts arranged from A-Z, including vintages from 1926 onwards. Over 500 new bottlings are reviewed and scored, plus hundreds of revised entries. This title is packed with the latest releases and brand new tasting notes from every distillery in Scotland. Plus, reviews of malts from around the world, including Ireland, Japan and newer producers from California to the Czech Republic. It is updated by whisky experts Dominic Roskrow, Gavin Smith and William Meyers.

A Portrait of 'Islay' and its Whiskies, by Andrew Jefford.

"The ocean bears down on Laphroaig with unrivalled glee; its warehouse walls are regularly flayed with kelp, and the distillery manager's sitting-room windows have been on every occasion I have visited, sticky with brine."

"Fans of malt whisky...and fans of good writing should make a beeline for wine writer Andrew Jefford's lyrical latest book, 'Peat Smoke and Spirit'. This is part history, part geography and only part whisky lesson ... but the writing is so good that it does not feel like education. This is a strong candidate for drinks book of the year." Jancis Robinson.

In 'Peat Smoke and Spirit', Islay's fascinating story is uncovered: from its history and stories of the many shipwrecks which litter its shores, to intimate descriptions of the beautiful wildlife, landscape and topography of the island. Interwoven through these different narrative strands comes the story of the whiskies themselves, traced from a distant past of bothies and illegal stills to present-day legality and prosperity.

Choosing Single Malts by Flavour, David Wishart, NEW 2012 ed.

His research identifies twelve 'cardinal flavours' which can be attributed to any malt in Scotland. Dr David Wishart has completed a comprehensive survey of 94 Scottish distilleries and their principal malt whiskies. Dr Wishart's research redefines the malt whisky flavour spectrum with the identification of twelve 'dimensions' to the taste of single malt whiskies. The sensory flavours – body, sweetness, smoky, medicinal, tobacco, honey, spicy, winey, nutty, malty, fruity, floral – were defined by Dr Wishart for use as an easily applicable guide to the taste and styles of single malt whiskies.

The conventional way to classify Scotch malt whiskies is by region - Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Islay and Campbeltown. But knowing where they are made doesn't explain how they taste. Not all Islay malts taste like a classic, smoky Islay! Some Speysiders are light and delicate, whereas others are rich and fruity.

"Whisky Classified" aims to help you navigate through the maze of single malt whiskies now available. If you like a particular malt whisky, then it tells you what other brands taste similar. On the other hand, if you want to diversify your collection, it helps you choose a range of malts that taste different.

Hardback, 272 pages.

The excuse for releasing Bushmills: Four Hundred Years in the Making, is the 400th anniversary of the first official license to distil, granted to the Bushmills area. The author, Peter Mulryan, was commissioned by Bushmills to create this commemoration of a distinguished history. Bushmills has been buffeted by many forces, political and economic. As if the story does not have enough twists and turns to follow, the researcher is also confounded by the destruction of distillery records on two occasions - in 1885, when the distillery burned to the ground; and again in 1941, courtesy of the Luftwaffe.

Mulryan firmly places Bushmills in the context of its times. The book describes the effects of two world wars, the temperance movement, Prohibition, the partition of Ireland and the subsequent "Troubles". He also tracks the company in and out of bankrupty, through the hands of numerous owners and laments the many lost business opportunities, not only for Bushmills, but for Irish whiskey in general.

Published in 2008, Hardback, 255 x 255mm, 189 pages, colour plates and other illustrations, Map, Adverts, etc.

The most comprehensive whisky guide ever written, now further expanded with 1,350 new entries

The world’s best selling ratings guide to all types of whisky including Scotch single malt, blends, vatted malts, single grains, Irish, bourbon, rye, Japanese, Canadian, Australian, European and many others.

Detailed, professionally analysed and easy to understand tasting notes on 4,500 of the world’s leading and lesser-known whiskies.

Specially designed for quick and easy reference.

Each whisky evaluated by whisky guru Jim Murray in his unique, forthright, honest, amusing, fiercely independent and non-pretentious style.

“The annual whisky guide which is regarded by connoisseurs as the most authoritative.” (The Sunday Times)

“Jim Murray is the world’s best whisky writer.”

(Dominic Roskrow)

The final touches have been added to the ninth edition of the world's best selling annual whisky guide.

After the longest production period to date, during which Jim Murray has tasted his way through a staggering 1,210 new whiskies and retasted over 200 core brands, the latest edition of the Whisky Bible has finally been signed off to the printers and is now available.

This year's Whisky Bible sees a record number of high scoring brands spread out over (or rather squeezed into) a pocket friendly 384 pages.

Year after year this book remains one of the ultimate resources for tasting notes or just getting an idea of the quality of a whisky.

The most comprehensive whisky guide ever written, now further expanded with more than 1,050 new entries

The world’s best selling ratings guide to all types of whisky including Scotch single malt, blends, vatted malts, single grains, Irish, bourbon, rye, Japanese, Canadian, Australian, European and many others

Detailed, professionally analysed and easy to understand tasting notes on over 4,500 of the world’s leading and lesser-known whiskies. Specially designed for quick and easy reference.

Each whisky is evaluated by whisky guru, Jim Murray, in his unique, forthright, honest, amusing, fiercely independent style.

Add this fantastic guide to your existing whisky order for free delivery of this book !

New 2012 edition.

Avoiding the deliberately obscure, the ridiculously limited, and the absurdly expensive, whiskey expert Ian Buxton has scoured the shelves of the world's whiskey warehouses to recommend an eclectic selection of old favourites, stellar newcomers, and mystifyingly unknown drams that simply have to be drunk. This witty, focused, and practical guide is not an awards list or a list of the 101 Best whiskies in the world in the opinion of some self-appointed whiskey guru. It’s simply a guide to 101 whiskies that enthusiasts really must seek out and try—, love them or hate them, —to complete their whiskey education. What's more, it's both practical and realistic as it cuts through the clutter, decodes the marketing hype, and gets straight to the point; whether from India or America, Sweden or Ireland, Japan or the hills, glens, and islands of Scotland, —here are the 101 whiskies that every whiskey enthusiast needs to try.

2012 Hardback edition.

(this is a free pdf download)

Be it remembered, That on the 10th day of December, in the

year of our Lord, 1818, and the forty-third year of the

Independence of the United States of America, came ANTHONY

BOUCHERIE, of the said district, and deposited in this office, a copy of the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author and proprietor, in the words and figures following....