The Cocktail Diaries: A Spirited Adventure

by Sam Heughan

Sam Heughan’s acting career has led him on a unique journey around the world and his love of craft spirits, history and travel is distilled into this personal collection of cocktail recipes.

The Cocktail Diaries includes chapters on Sam’s Top 10 all-time favourites, ‘Simple and Timeless’ recipes for those easy crowd-pleasers, ‘Complex and Conversational’ for something a bit more sophisticated, and a final section, ‘Made by Friends’, featuring imaginative recipes created by international bartenders for Sam and his brand Sassenach Spirits – a tailormade tour of the world’s best cocktails.

Sam’s expertise and enthusiasm shine through, as he regales tales of tasting cocktails – from the historic Boulevardier in Paris and a Bramble in New Orleans to a Papaya Margarita in the back of a van in the Oaxaca mountains – and delights in sharing his favourite adventures (and drinks!) with the reader.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Travel, Food

224 pages, Hardcover

Published September 23, 2025

About the author

Sam Heughan was born April 30, 1980 in New Galloway, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. An accomplished stage and screen actor best known for Outlander (2014), A Princess for Christmas (2011), and A Very British Sex Scandal (2007). He is an active patron of Youth Theatre Arts Scotland and Leukemia and Lymphoma Research. He attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) located in Glasgow, Scotland.

Reviews

[Sharon]

Outlander star Sam Heughan knocks it out of the park with this gorgeous cocktail guide.

Drawing on his own experience as a bartender during his days as a jobbing actor, as well as that of bartenders he meets in his travels, Heughan has created a book of easy-t0-follow recipes, entertaining anecdotes and, yes, gorgeous photographs.

Highly recommended.

[Jessie]

This actor is really great at diversifying his financial portfolio. He plays a popular character who drinks alcohol. The actor created a company to sell alcohol. Now he has a book with cocktail drink recipes that is actually fabulous. Well done.

[Liz PH]

I normally wouldn’t log a cooking/cocktail book but each cocktail had a story included and a lot of detail where I read it like a regular book. Love this

[Kathleen A Cannon]

For Sam

I do so enjoy something different to try at times and since I enjoy the spirits that Sam makes just had to order his book. He has put together a huge selection of drinks to try and he tells you a story too. I enjoyed reading them and tried a few. I love how he tells you step by step. Enjoyable even if you never mixed a drink in your life.

[Judith Yuret]

The book Is a quick read and especially good for those who like making drinks/cocktails for friends, family and parties .

I’m not a drinker but I did enjoy the background information Sam provided on the drinks and his travels associated with the types of cocktails/drinks.

[Jennifer Shockley]

So much more than a regular bartenders guidebook! Heughan includes a paragraph or two on the history of each cocktail or an anecdote on where he first sampled the beverage. Each recipe includes a gorgeous full-color photograph or illustration. A fun read!

[Jaimeann Bowen]

Brilliant. Lighthearted and enjoyable. As always, Heughan articulates graciously.

Now, the drinking begins!

[Sara]

Nicely done! Beautiful photographs and delicious recipes.

[Ann Dixon]

This was a fun read. Lots of little vignettes of friendship, exploration, traveling, hospitality, learning, and I guess drinking….

Fun photos too.

[Reagan Ruisseau]

not even sure this counts as reading. 2.5

[John Shaw]

Notorious whisky aficionado
( read booze hound )
Sam Heughan is known for his love of
all things from his Scottish homeland
Esp. Scotch
The eponymous ( did I actually spell that right first try? ) beverage beloved worldwide.
In this book Heughan lists his favourite cocktails
many classic, some new all sound delightful.
Even though I do prefer my Scotch with just ice.