Scotch Whisky: A Liquid History

by Charles MacLean

New in Paper
Whisky is widely considered the finest spirit in the world--and this is the definitive history of the "water of life." Written by the editor of Whisky magazine, and Scotland's leading writer on the subject, it's the perfect blend of anecdotes and pioneering research. Superb illustrations help tell an intriguing story that goes back as far as 2000 B.C., and that includes a cast of fascinating characters who smuggled, bribed, conspired, and advertised with a vengeance to turn whisky from a common man's drink into a proud part of the Scottish national heritage. Unfolding decade by decade, it presents names such as John Walker and Sons, Glenlivet, and Macallan, providing a treasure trove for the whisky connoisseur or anyone interested in a really good read.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Food, Food and Drink, Science, Microhistory

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the goodreads data base.

Charles MacLean is a writer whose special subject is Scotch whisky, about which he has published ten books to date, including the standard work on whisky brands, Scotch Whisky and the leading book on its subject, Malt Whisky, both of which were short-listed for Glenfiddich Awards.

Whisky: A Liquid History, published by Cassell in 2003 was named Wine and Spirit Book of the Year (2005) by the James Beard Foundation of New York. MacLean’s Whisky Miscellany followed in 2004, expanded in 2006 as Whisky Tales; in 2008 he was Managing Editor of Dorling Kindersley’s Eyewitness Companion to Whisky, and in 2009 their World Whiskies.Whiskypedia was published in June 2009.

Reviews

[Iowa City Public Library]

Forget the guidebooks, forget the history books: to plan your trip to Scotland, check out Scotch Whisky: A Liquid History by Charles Maclean. The word “whisky” is a shortened form of the Gaelic words “uisge beatha”, or “water of life”; in Latin it is “aqua vitae”. This beautiful book recounts in a very readable way the history of whisky in Scotland, or rather, perhaps, the history of Scotland in whisky. Whisky’s historical uses in medicine and perfumery, and its role in the monasteries, agriculture, exports and politics are all covered. You will get an overview of how whisky is made (in Scotland, from barley), with detail on the malting, fermentation, distillation and aging.

There are beautiful illustrations throughout the book, including reproductions of engravings from the early 18th century and contemporary color photos of distilleries and their settings among lochs and mountains. The pictures of the polished copper stills—the color of honey or caramel, or whisky for that matter—are my favorites. The only thing missing from the book, in my opinion, is a guide to tasting Scotch. I would have appreciated some hints on what flavors to look for, cautions on how big of a sip to take, and so on. In my limited experience, it is still hard to swallow without grimacing, but I think practice will help. --Heidi

From ICPL Staff Picks Blog

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great social and economic history of whisky, the author is a authority on scotch and whisky history. You won't get any tasting notes but you will get a great deal on where whisky came from and the social and political consequences of it. I did find towards the end it was a bit dry (corporate takeovers etc.) but if you are interested in whisky or in the industry itself then this is a must book to read.

[Martin Bihl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whatever you want to know about whiskey - it's in here.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Michael Jackson's book better

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprehensive dive into the history of Scotch whiskey, especially from a distribution end. Would have liked to see some additional info on actual distillers.