Stories From A Whisky Bar

by Ralfy Mitchell

Eleven entertaining, and individual fictional short stories based on factual conversations with people over the years in whisky bars in Scotland, and including some of the authors own adventures. A Chapter per Dram is a good warming measure, and entertaining reading for whisky-lovers. and those who like a good story.

241 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2021

Reviews

[Stuart]

A real variety of whisky-inspired tales - funny, melancholy, and sometimes sinister
Ralfy's second book is a natural departure from his first, which was a down-to-earth memoir of his life and how come to love whisky, and a loving tribute to the city of Glasgow as well, grim weather, heavy drinking, and often downtrodden, but full of life and characters.

This time he presents a very wide range of stories that were apparently heard at whisky bars or from whisky friends. Does that mean they're all based loosely on true stories? Who can say? Is Ralfy just collecting them and embellishing with his own touches? There are two stories toward the end that are unmistakably his, The Saga Salty of Salty Wheels (about his motorcycle adventures at Bonneville in the US) and Friday in Tinseltown (a brilliant story of a typical night at the Bon Accord that features cameos from many of the characters in the previous stories, with an appearance by Ralfy himself).

My favorite was Water Horse Distillery, a story about two whisky enthusiasts who meet at The Ben Nevis, happen to chat with a wealthy guy looking to start a craft distillery, and they decide to give it a go together. What happens over time is both plausible, chilling, and told very cleverly in diary-like entries. Some of the humor is just spot on.

I'd say I liked about half the stories, found another third mildly interesting, and the remainder not that engaging, but there were many funny and poignant moments that made it well worth reading.

[GaP · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of tales gathered across many years and many drams of whisky featuring Scots/Glaswegians frae all walks of life and levels of the social ladder. The author even takes the meta-mickey out of himself in his role as a whisky vlogger(I'm sure he'd hate the term "influencer".) A fun read from an author who knows his stuff and knows how to tell a great yarn.

[Ruben Buijs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even better than his first, so here's hoping there'll be a third. I think most stories will resonate with any reader, as his characters are either pleasantly relatable or recognizable in a less pleasant way, without turning into clichés (most of the time). The tiny whisky tidbits were also nice. Truly like fanservice for whiskylovers.

[Jorgen Lundgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book by Ralfy. He is on his way to become a prolific author. Can picture me in most of his short and different stories. Lovely to recognise some of the locations he mentioned. Had to bring the book to our Leeds Fellowship of the still monthly club meeting.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a great night out in a pub (and during these Covid days that's an even more precious experience)! These short stories are rich and varied in their characters and plots but the humanity always shows through, and by the end, in an inspired final story which breaks down the fourth wall, you realise how real these fictional characters have become in your mind. The first story is probably the hardest to digest because it lingers on the technicalities of the distilling process just a little too much for my tastes but beyond that, it is an engaging read. My favourite story is probably "Bobby" where the denouement is as unexpected as it is euphoric.

[Martin Monov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories are interesting and enjoyable, others I found to be boring. The first book from Ralfy I read was "Life, Death & Whisky: The Undertakers Stash" and I really liked it. I was expecting this one to be more enternainable as a company to my evening drams.
To no surprise, the last story - Friday in Tinseltown - is the best one in my opinion, transporting the reader right in the middle of a famous whisky bar in Glasgow, rightfully conveying the atmosphere on any given Friday. The story encompasses most of the characters from the previous stories bound together by the place and their love for malted spirits. Really loved it.

[2sp00ky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ralfy has a special charm. His first book was a down to earth memoir, this a collection of stories. It’s the perfect book to curl up with a glass of whisky, unsurprisingly.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting for Ralfy's second book, but the short stories were an enjoyable read. Good casual reading, perfect with a nice dram in the evening.

[R. Martijn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, when reading with a nice dram