- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Cassell Illustrated (11 Sep 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1844030784
- ISBN-13: 978-1844030781
- Product Dimensions: 24.9 x 19.8 x 3.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 766,097 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Review
"Charles MacLean is, for my money, the most serious and scholarly writer on whisky today." Andrew Jefford"
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Whisky is widely considered the finest spirit in the world and its history has evolved against a fascinating backdrop. This is the story of a traditional spirit with an intriguing past. The book explores and unfolds, decade by decade, the history, secrets and untold tales surrounding one of the world's most popular tipples. Beginning as far back as 2000 BC, the tales move through the centuries to the present day, looking at the fascinating characters who smuggled, bribed, conspired and advertised with a vengeance to turn whisky from a common man's drink into an integral and admired part of popular Scottish heritage.
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First Sentence
There is a tradition that St Patrick introduced distilling to Ireland in the fifth century AD, and that the Dalriadic Scots brought the secret with them when they arrived in Kintyre around AD500. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
There is a tradition that St Patrick introduced distilling to Ireland in the fifth century AD, and that the Dalriadic Scots brought the secret with them when they arrived in Kintyre around AD500. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Historical books on Whisky are rare and McLean is well known by the whisky afficionados and his book are, Usually, McLean's book are well written, fluid and,based on solid references.
The whisky trade and production is quite fascinating and was looking to gain a clear overview on its history, therfore I bought this book.
It is well written, with extensive reseach done, but, to my opinion, the reader is "drowned" by the amount of details, preventing a smooth lecture and the style is very heavy.A
fter the lecture of 10 pages, a dram will help you to clear your thoughts!
The target audience is more the historian than the whisky connoisseurs.
The whisky trade and production is quite fascinating and was looking to gain a clear overview on its history, therfore I bought this book.
It is well written, with extensive reseach done, but, to my opinion, the reader is "drowned" by the amount of details, preventing a smooth lecture and the style is very heavy.A
fter the lecture of 10 pages, a dram will help you to clear your thoughts!
The target audience is more the historian than the whisky connoisseurs.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Esthery, with Hints of Batter, Peat, and Heather!
10 Feb 2001
Format:Hardcover
An excellent little guide to the making and tasting of Scotch whisky, both single malt (81 pages) and blended (94 pages). After the introductory chapters on the history, making, and appreciation of whisky, brief (2-5 paragraphs) descriptions of each whisky are listed. There is an emphasis on the history of the distillery; this makes it an ideal travel book. The book is part of the "Mitchell-Beazley Pocket Guides," so can be kept easily in a purse or coat pocket (and, yes, the print is legible but quite small).
The tasting descriptions are generally well within the limits of reasonable subjectivity. (Example: The Macallan 12--"...usually full and well-rounded, reminiscent of old Armagnac: sherry, fruit...a hint of wood, clean, intense..."). I think Paul Pacult's "Kindred Spirits" is the better book, however: The tasting notes seem more accurate, and the grading system gives you an idea of his opinion of one scotch versus another. There is no such rating system here.
The notes are necessarily brief for a "pocket guide" and often describe only one vintage (e.g., a 12-year old). However, the notes for the notorious Laphroaig (peat smoke, tar, diesel oil, seaweed, iodine, salt") don't state whether it's the 10-, 12-, or 15-year old that is being evaluated. All in all, however, the author, a renowned authority on whisky, knows his scotch, and conveys well the essential elements of nose, body, taste, and finish.
There is a fairly heavy emphasis on the industry, including a list of top selling brands, prices fetched at auction (!), and the transfer of distillery ownership. There is a nice list of distilleries, locations, and telephone numbers for those planning a scotch tasting excursion, and a good (but dated) bibliography. Recommended particularly for those who want a portable reference book, or who have a special interest in distillery history.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
A Great Book for Scotch Whisky Drinkers
29 Jan 2000
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a pocket size book with detailed descriptions of numerous Scotch Whiskies, single malts and blends. It briefly provides a history of the distillery and most helpful, detailed tasting notes on each whisky. Charles MacLean is a well known and highly respected expert in whiskies. This book makes an excellent companion to Michael Jackson's "must have" book on Single Malt Scotch Whisky giving the reader another experts perspective on the wide variety of flavors in Scotch Whisky. The print in this book is very small, at times hard to read, but the information makes it worth finding your glasses. This book is one of three books on Scotch Malt Whisky I would not want to be without. If you've come this far, buy the book, I know you'll enjoy it.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
comprehensive guide
19 Jun 2002
Format:Hardcover
Scotch Whisky by Charles MacLean is a comprehensive guide about the different single malt and blended Scotch whiskies available. It starts with a short history about Scotch whisky and goes on to the making, the regional differences and how to appreciate this very traditional Scottish drink. This is followed by a listing of all the different single malt whiskies and blended whiskies. Each of them is listed by category, distiller and owner. There is also a description of the history of the whisky as well as tasting notes. This guide to whisky is excellent reading for those interested in whisky from the connoisseur to the enthusiastic amateur. And, of course, this book is always a superb gift which is usually very much appreciated.
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