Drink More Whiskey: Everything You Need to Know About Your New Favorite Drink!

by Daniel Yaffe, Mary Kate McDevitt (Illustrator)

This smart guide to whiskey introduces a new generation of would-be connoisseurs to the hottest new-again spirit. And with upstart distillers reviving varieties like white dog (moonshine to prohibition-era folks), now is the best time to start learning about it. Drink More Whiskey is the reference for those want to discover the provenance, styles, differences in quality, and ideal uses of whiskey in a fresh, fun-to-read format. In addition, more than 20 recipes are sprinkled throughout, from classics like the Old Fashioned to thoroughly modern tipples like the Manchester (made from single malt Scotch whisky and fresh herbs), so readers can take their learning from book to glass.

Genres: Nonfiction, Alcohol, Cookbooks, Food, Reference, Food and Drink

176 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 2013

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful starter guide to drinking whiskey. Entertaining to read, and refreshingly free of aficionado bullshit.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, easily digestible info. Sometimes the prose gets a little obnoxious and masturbatory, but it’s mostly clear and hits the sweet spot of providing just enough info to whet my appetite and without leaving me wanting.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and informative read. Detailed but without getting too far into the weeds. This book heightened my appreciation of whiskey and has inspired me to broaden my horizons, selection-wise.

[ASHWIN PATEL · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author knows his whisk(e)y.

Written with a great deal of research and knowledge, Mr. Yaffe takes you through an interesting journey of making you acquainted with what you are drinking in that glass that you poured from a bottle of whisky or whiskey. The writing is simple and easy to understand, yet it grabs you in such a way that you don't want to let go of the book until you finish it. Afterwards you can impress your drinking buddies by telling them a thing or two about what you are drinking, as scotch is my most favorite drink. I would recommend this book to all whisky or whiskey lovers.

[Federico Castillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, informative, and straightforward book, intended for people with zero prior knowledge. Maybe if you already know your whiskey this is a waster of time. The author has a good sense of humor, while being very knowledgeable and getting to the point. I felt that the cocktails recipes where out of place, you could get them online or whatever, but the rest of the book is a gentle introduction. Now I drink my scotch like a sir.

[Lauren Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always cited whiskey as my favorite spirit, and now I move into geeky fandom. Yes, I have previously toured distilleries, including Jameson, but reading all about the history and production and qualities of each different worldwide style in one exciting book seals the deal of enjoyment.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of great introductory information on Whisky (whiskey?). The majority of the chapters involve Daniel Yaffe, the author, explaining the history and types of whisky across all the major whisky producing countries.

While I did enjoy this book and reading it has made trips to the liquor store more exciting, I wish he had gone a little deeper into either the history or the world around whisky. A notable example is he uses a brief section of the Scotland chapter to describe whisky clubs. These clubs collect rare or interesting bottles/barrels of whisky and distribute them to their members. He spends the entire section explaining the most exclusive of the bunch and then in two sentences briefly mentions that there are many different types.

The explanation of the exclusive club was interesting, but why not also spend time talking about a few of the different types of clubs and what makes them interesting?

For people (like myself) who are new to whisky and want to have a deeper understanding of the history of this drink, Yaffe's book is a good place to start; just don't expect to walk away feeling like you've achieved that understanding through this book.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to wonder if there is an increase in whiskey consumption in the world as this is the second Whiskey 101 book I am reviewing in the last couple of months. This one is incredibly basic and is not the favorite of mine. As I have stated...it is a 101 book with not much more on top of that. It will be very good for "beginners" wanting to increase their whiskey knowledge, as it is a pretty complex liquor. I thought the drinks were interesting, but had a number of ingredients that will more than likely not be a part of the standard home bar.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative book. Daniel's easy manner made this book about whiskey so interesting and entertaining to read. I actually attended a book event at Umami Mart in Oakland so we had whiskey tastings in addition to some of the anecdotes he included in the book. The experience coupled with reading the book after the fact was a nice touch. As a true introduction to whiskey, this book satisfies on all levels.

[b aaron talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

did you know the japanese are obsessed with whiskey? and that the taste is similar to that of whiskey made in scotland? and that branch water is a term that means adding water to whiskey; but more specifically, when whiskey distilleries were on rivers or creeks, branch water refers to water that comes directly from the river or creek or stream the distillery was on? i didnt know that either...

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book walks the line between informational and accessible pretty smoothly. I finished the book with a lot of information and a better understanding of whiskey as a spirit. It will continue to serve well as a basic reference for studying the various whiskeys that are out there.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to learn about the origins of whiskey and the differences between whiskey and bourbon. It also told of the different countries that make it and what rule, restrictions and regulation there are.

[Amy Treadwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Isa great book to learn about whiskey in a super fun readable way. It's like your brother took a worldwide whiskey tour and came back to tell you all about it.

[wenshuren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "light-hearted" and yet informative. This is the first book explained the difference between whiskey and whisky. Enjoyed every page of it.

[Tasha]

I did learn a lot of fun facts about whiskey, but it's not exactly a gripping read.

[Christopher Steffen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable introduction to whiskey. A little light on the information.

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book. Thought the last chapter would have been better suited near the beginning of the book. Lots of history about the origins of whiskey.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful little guide that isn't pretentious or filled with jargon. Came in handy before my last trip to Scotland :)