The Story of Whisky: History and adventures of the world’s most beloved drink, the perfect gift for whisky-lovers

by Charles Maclean, Gavin D. Smith

‘For the reader who knows little about whisky, this is a book that will easily and enjoyably fill that gap.’ Sir Alexander McCall Smith

With a foreword by Sir Alexander McCall Smith, award-winning writers Charles MacLean and Gavin D. Smith offer a rollocking narrative; describing the adventures of the legendary characters who shaped the whisky industry and how three basic ingredients – grain, yeast and water ­– combine to make a drink with a multitude of different flavours.

Discover the origins of distilling in 1200BC, mainly in China and India, beginning with whisky’s early origins as an illicit alcohol made in the hills of Scotland and Ireland, to the exciting small batch whiskies being produced today by craft distillers and master blenders all over the world. The Story of Whisky immerses you in over 100 stories, legends and anecdotes, illustrated with historical images and stunning photographs of landscapes and iconic inside and out.

With flavour influenced as much by history, craft and tradition as it is by science, in The Story of Whisky, find out why your drink tastes the way it does, where whisky flavours come from and how they are changing to embrace the future.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 14, 2025

Reviews

[Ross Mckinney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty looking book with great photos. Textually, it reads like a series of magazine articles. Low on a cohesive narrative, higher on interesting facts.