An Insider's Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World's Finest Spirits

This book has completely changed everything I thought I knew about whiskey! I learned something new every time I sat down to
read it. As a professional bartender I found the information on how to taste whiskey extremely helpful, it has already helped me to
increase sales of bourbon and scotch in my bar. An absolute must-have for bartenders, aficionados and the occasional drinker.

EXCELLENT Book! Fun read & great information. Very interesting to see the various approaches from multiple countries. Enjoyed the down to earth perspective versus the snobbish approach some authors might use.

Tons of info about different types of whiskey, regions that produce good ones,, including cocktails recipes. I am a wine person but this book is very interesting for the newest or the real connoisseur.

Phenomenal primer and "bible" to understanding and appreciating whisk(e)y. I read this prior to my trip to Scotland and my trip was so much better for it. Mr. Bryson writes in such an informal yet educational style, it literally felt like I was being taught by a knowledgeable uncle. He goes in depth explaining the history of whisky, how it's made, the differences between them, how to "nose" them, taste them, and even create cocktails. It's organized in a very logical manner, and can be read from front to back but also accessed in parts, if needed.

As others have said, I'm really not sure much more reading is needed after this book, except perhaps for Heather Greene's "Whisk(e)y Distilled" - also a great reference but more experience-driven and personal.

All-in-all, this book is a great start for the beginner and even the whisky fanatic... it's an excellent gift to yourself or any other person willing to learn about whisky.

Lew Bryson is an excellent authority on whisky related information. His writing style is both enjoyable and informative. The book dispels several myth sand brings the vast amount of whisky information together in a complete and authoritative style. I highly recommend this book to beginner and enthusiast as well.

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books were the only way to ‘lean stuff’ and my kids will never know the joy of owning a whole bookcase’s worth of dusty outdated encyclopaedias.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.

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 on the subject.

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 aging 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.

My friends are growing whiskey at their ranch and I wanted to understand the process better, As someone who knows absolutely nothing I enjoyed reading this book. When I partook in the conversation they were surprised I already knew some of the process. You could find the information online, but I rather have a book and a book doesn't need to be re-charged. I suggest this book for anyone who anyone is just starting to out and wants to have a better understanding of the process.

Great book. Entertaining read, very informative of the types, history, and cultures behind whiskey with some added cocktail recipes to boot. This will always be a reference source for future questions.

What a great book! Lew Bryson writes with the voice of an everyman, but an everyman that knows a lot about whisky and how to enjoy it. Many whisky books can come off being dry and a tad pretentious, but not this one. This book is great for the folks who are just now exploring the wonderful world of whisky and even for those who have been filling their bellies with the stuff for decades. This is a terrific book to read and to help one to truly appreciate the amber spirit. Highly recommended from this guy!

This book is outstanding. Lew writes in a friendly, conversational tone that makes the book fun to read while also being educational. He writes in an authoritative tone but it never feels like he's talking down to the reader or lecturing. I appreciated the additional information about the history of whiskey, the distillation and aging processes and all of the different nuances between scotch whisky, irish whiskey and American whiskey.

This is a great book for beginners who are looking to learn the basics, but I learned so much more and believe that anyone who already appreciates whiskey would enjoy reading this book and learning more about the hobby.

On a side note, the book is also very visually appealing. The photography is beautiful and the charts are easy to read and understand, and are tastefully done and look great.

Not an all-inclusive book, but a good starter for the novice. I built a basket for a charity auction...included two bottles of high, quality scotch...a blend and a single-malt...added a set of the Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glasses...and this book. It was a hit for a worthy charity and gained a top bid! I rated it only 3 stars for the limited value to an experienced taster, but it was a nice touch, and I would buy it again for that purpose.