MacLean's Miscellany of Whisky

by Charles MacLean, Alexander McCall Smith (Foreword)

Charles MacLean pours a lifetime’s love and knowledge of Scotch whisky into this delightful book. He discusses how has whisky changed over the past hundred years, what gives it its beautiful amber color, how its simple ingredients come together to produce such a diversity of flavors, and more. Elegant and informative, this is a book which will be consumed in appreciative sips by anyone with an interest in good drink and good living.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

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

[Simon Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part reference book, part coffee table (or should that be whisky table) book to dip into; this is a little gem. I confess that like a keenly anticipated box set, I binged on this book. However I know it is also a book I will dip into again and again in the years to come.

Charlie Maclean writes with authority, passion & humour. Along with Ian Buxton I think he is the foremost writer on the subject of whisky. This is a book that will always be kept close at hand.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meant more for reference I’m sure but I couldn’t put it down. Cover to cover in a very short time, formatted for a pick up and read whenever you have a spare 5 minutes. Everything you need is here and perfect for a beginner/amateur like me as an introduction to the world of whisky.

In terms of reference I’ve found the index pages are not accurate. No biggie, just an annoyance.

[Dave Crokaert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and a treasure of little tidbits of knowledge one can use to impress other whisky lovers. The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is that I found some sections to be unnecessary.

[William Grasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short bu fun book is a great accompaniment to a dram or two. It is a fun, easy to read overview of the scotch-making process, filled with short anecdotes and fun facts. Light reading.

[Brad Schanche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great compilation of fun and interesting facts and anecdotes that you wouldn't find in the average whisky guide. It is a must read for anyone with more than a casual interest in whisky.