Whiskypedia (New and Updated Edition): A Gazetteer of Scotch Whisky

by Charles MacLean

Individual distilleries give their whiskies unique characteristics. These characteristics do not arise magically (as was once thought), nor are they the result of terroir or region (as is still thought, by some). They have their roots in the craft and custom of the distillery and of the district in which it is located, but the key influences upon flavour are the distilling equipment itself, how it is operated and how the spirit is matured. For the first time, "MacLean's Whiskypedia" explores the flavour and character of every malt whisky distilled in Scotland with reference to how it is made.In this title, introductory sections explain the contribution made by each stage of production and maturation, to elucidate the detailed notes about how malt whisky is made at each distillery. The distillery entries also provide historical notes and quirky facts. Malt whisky is the quintessential 'spirit of place', and this element of the story has been captured by John Macpherson's camera in specially commissioned images which compliment the text. This is a wholly new approach to understanding and enjoying Scotch malt whisky, by the foremost authority on the subject in collaboration with one of Scotland's leading photographers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, History, Cooking, Scotland

725 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2009

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

[Daniel Mihai Popescu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don't have any comparative work to consider, so this book seems exhaustive. The complete catalogue of Scottish Single Malt Whiskys.

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[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

read and reread

Even if already well out of date. He was a master of whisky. This has a well of information, and encouragement to try a wee dram, and another different one.

[Lennert · Rating 4 out of 5]

One hell of a bucket list

[Filipe Pascoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a beginner to scotch whiskey, I found this an insightful and enjoyable read. The first sections of the book present a concise, unpretentious description of scotch whisky - covering its history, processes, different types, and appreciation. The main body is, of course, a gazetteer containing extensive descriptions of Scottish distilleries. I only covered a few that I was interested in, but it's a nice collection to refer back to, whenever I encounter a new whiskey.
The first and last pages also contained useful descriptors and charts - such as a flavour wheel and a single malt whiskey flavour map.

[Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough reference book for lovers of single-malt. Never again will you be left wondering about the history of your favorite distillery. The only complaint is that now I feel less confident I can fit all these tastings into one lifetime!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice review of whiskeys

[Heather Forensky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that explains who enjoys which Whisky or who owns what. I had no idea Finland and Japan own some Scottish companies and now I need a scotch.

[Wade Kaardal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in depth resource and reference on Scotch distilleries.

[R. Martijn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There is no bad Whisky. There are only some Whisky's that aren't as good as others"

Whiskypedia is one of the books every serious Scotch nerd should have on his bookshelf. As the title implies, it is an encyclopedia of Scotch whiskies, specifically single malts. The book is an alphabetic guide to the several dozen malt distilleries in Scotland, with each entry delivering a general history, interesting factoids, and notes for the core single malt of that distillery.

Even on this basic, Scotch whisky 201 level, most of us can only command this information for a favorite short list of distilleries. That is where having a handy, concise and clearly written compendium becomes a necessary accessory for anyone making the move from casual drinker to enthusiast. Charles MacLean’s Whiskypedia has that base covered.

[Jorgen Lundgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this 2014 edition in a second hand bookshop in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago for £4.50.
Well worth the money. Whiskypedia comes with some great snippets like,

Glen Ord distillery, excavations here in 1962, to make way for No. 1 warehouse, uncovered six skulls, one with a musket ball embedded in its jaw.

Glenmorangie distillery, so keen is Glenmorangie on its wood that the company owns forests in the Ozark Mountains of Kentucky.

Strathearn distillery, the draff residues go to a local farm which raises wild boar.

Last but not least Springbank distillery, Springbank is the most traditional distillery in Scotland. It is also the only distillery established in the nineteenth century, still in the ownership of it's founding family.

[Cor Hobes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should have done more research before buying the book, but it was literally an encyclopedia (go figure) of all whiskey distilleries within Scotland. Tough to finish due to that format.