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Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History
The Terroir of Whiskey: A Distiller's Journey Into the Flavor of Place
Look at the back label of a bottle of wine and you may well see a reference to its terroir, the total local environment of the vineyard that grew the grapes, from its soil to the climate. Winemakers universally accept that where a grape is grown influences its chemistry, which in turn changes the flavor of the wine. A detailed system has codified the idea that place matters to wine. So why don’t we feel the same way about whiskey?
In this book, the master distiller Rob Arnold reveals how innovative whiskey producers are recapturing a sense of place to create distinctive, nuanced flavors. He takes readers on a world tour of whiskey and the science of flavor, stopping along the way at distilleries in Kentucky, New York, Texas, Ireland, and Scotland. Arnold puts the spotlight on a new generation of distillers, plant breeders, and local farmers who are bringing back long-forgotten grain flavors and creating new ones in pursuit of terroir. In the twentieth century, we inadvertently bred distinctive tastes out of grains in favor of high yields―but today’s artisans have teamed up to remove themselves from the commodity grain system, resurrect heirloom cereals, bring new varieties to life, and recapture the flavors of specific local ingredients. The Terroir of Whiskey makes the scientific and cultural cases that terroir is as important in whiskey as it is in wine.
In this book, the master distiller Rob Arnold reveals how innovative whiskey producers are recapturing a sense of place to create distinctive, nuanced flavors. He takes readers on a world tour of whiskey and the science of flavor, stopping along the way at distilleries in Kentucky, New York, Texas, Ireland, and Scotland. Arnold puts the spotlight on a new generation of distillers, plant breeders, and local farmers who are bringing back long-forgotten grain flavors and creating new ones in pursuit of terroir. In the twentieth century, we inadvertently bred distinctive tastes out of grains in favor of high yields―but today’s artisans have teamed up to remove themselves from the commodity grain system, resurrect heirloom cereals, bring new varieties to life, and recapture the flavors of specific local ingredients. The Terroir of Whiskey makes the scientific and cultural cases that terroir is as important in whiskey as it is in wine.
- GenresNonfictionFood
368 pages, Paperback
Published August 16, 2022
21 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 22, 2020
I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.
As a person who enjoys a good single malt on occasion, and who geeks out over foodie trivia and history, this book was very much my sort of thing. Rob Arnold is a master distiller for TX Whiskey who has in recent years researched ways and means to utilize the concept of terroir in the whiskey of Texas. Terroir is flavor distinct to the ingredients and environment of a place. In Texas, and many other places, it's not uncommon for grains from a wide swath of an area to be mixed together in a silo. Arnold explores how going with specific suppliers can change a whiskey's flavor, and then goes deeper into the concept as he travels across America and into Ireland and Scotland to understand how ingredients, cooperage (that's the barrels), and the very whiskey makers influence the final, delicious result.
This is a very interesting book all of the way through. In the middle when it gets deep on the very chemical make-up of flavor, it became a MUCH slower read for me, but it never ceased to be intriguing. More than once, as I read with my husband in the room, I called out with a, 'Hey, did you know...' The very end of the book has a helpful guide for creating your own unique whiskey tastings, too.
Really, an excellent book for anyone who enjoys whiskey and is interested in understanding the hows and whys behind that enjoyment.
As a person who enjoys a good single malt on occasion, and who geeks out over foodie trivia and history, this book was very much my sort of thing. Rob Arnold is a master distiller for TX Whiskey who has in recent years researched ways and means to utilize the concept of terroir in the whiskey of Texas. Terroir is flavor distinct to the ingredients and environment of a place. In Texas, and many other places, it's not uncommon for grains from a wide swath of an area to be mixed together in a silo. Arnold explores how going with specific suppliers can change a whiskey's flavor, and then goes deeper into the concept as he travels across America and into Ireland and Scotland to understand how ingredients, cooperage (that's the barrels), and the very whiskey makers influence the final, delicious result.
This is a very interesting book all of the way through. In the middle when it gets deep on the very chemical make-up of flavor, it became a MUCH slower read for me, but it never ceased to be intriguing. More than once, as I read with my husband in the room, I called out with a, 'Hey, did you know...' The very end of the book has a helpful guide for creating your own unique whiskey tastings, too.
Really, an excellent book for anyone who enjoys whiskey and is interested in understanding the hows and whys behind that enjoyment.
January 11, 2021
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
As a WSET wine & spirits students, currently awaiting results for my Level 2 exams and working with spirits brands, namely whiskey, gin, and cognac, I was excited to read this book and his perspective having the experience of growing up creating whiskey. I'm sure as the book has been published, the difficulties in digital formatting have been corrected so charts are able to be read; this was impossible to follow in the ARC and that was unfortunate as it was something I was interested in. In all, the book is dry and reads like a textbook; in fact, I'm sure that 90% of this was Arnold's thesis paper for the degree he earned.
I would not recommend this book for someone with a mild or new interest in whiskey; the technical details may be overwhelming, but certainly a whisky aficionado could be intrigued by the premise. Despite the author's efforts, studies, and experimentation, the truth is that terroirs of grain would not make economical sense as a talented blender can certainly create the notes they want in a whiskey without needing to source specific grains from various terroirs. This was demonstrated to me by such a blender as I discussed the author's thesis, showing me how he made a whiskey more cereal, for example, simply by shifts in his formula, adding something, removing another, etc.. An interesting premise, for certain, but the author's voice lacks engagement to hold a reader's attention for any long reading period.
As a WSET wine & spirits students, currently awaiting results for my Level 2 exams and working with spirits brands, namely whiskey, gin, and cognac, I was excited to read this book and his perspective having the experience of growing up creating whiskey. I'm sure as the book has been published, the difficulties in digital formatting have been corrected so charts are able to be read; this was impossible to follow in the ARC and that was unfortunate as it was something I was interested in. In all, the book is dry and reads like a textbook; in fact, I'm sure that 90% of this was Arnold's thesis paper for the degree he earned.
I would not recommend this book for someone with a mild or new interest in whiskey; the technical details may be overwhelming, but certainly a whisky aficionado could be intrigued by the premise. Despite the author's efforts, studies, and experimentation, the truth is that terroirs of grain would not make economical sense as a talented blender can certainly create the notes they want in a whiskey without needing to source specific grains from various terroirs. This was demonstrated to me by such a blender as I discussed the author's thesis, showing me how he made a whiskey more cereal, for example, simply by shifts in his formula, adding something, removing another, etc.. An interesting premise, for certain, but the author's voice lacks engagement to hold a reader's attention for any long reading period.
February 27, 2021
1/5 stars
Genre: Mixology
Description:
Turn over a bottle of wine and you may well see a reference to its terroir, the total local environment of the vineyard that grew the grapes, from its soil to the climate. Winemakers universally accept that where a grape is grown influences its chemistry, which changes the flavor of the wine. A detailed system has codified the idea that where the grapes are grown matters to the wine. But why don’t we feel the same way about whiskey?
The master distiller Rob Arnold reveals how innovative whiskey producers are recapturing a sense of place to create distinctive, nuanced flavors. He takes readers on a world tour of whiskey and the science of flavor, stopping along the way at distilleries in Kentucky, New York, Texas, Ireland, and Scotland. Arnold puts the spotlight on a new generation of distillers, plant breeders, and local farmers who are bringing back long-forgotten grain flavors and creating new ones in pursuit of terroir. In the twentieth century, we inadvertently bred distinctive tastes out of grains in favor of high agronomic yields—but today’s artisans have teamed up to remove themselves from the commodity grain system, resurrect heirloom cereals, bring new varieties to life, and recapture the flavors of specific local ingredients. The Terroir of Whiskey makes the scientific and cultural cases that terroir is as important in whiskey as it is in wine.
Pros and Cons:
So this is the first book I wasn't able to get all the way through and that's my fault. I misunderstood what the book was going to be about. I thought it was going to be more about making drinks and the best whiskey flavors for each drink and it's not that at all. It reads much more like a research paper.
Would I recommend it?
For bartenders or people super interested in Whiskey.
Genre: Mixology
Description:
Turn over a bottle of wine and you may well see a reference to its terroir, the total local environment of the vineyard that grew the grapes, from its soil to the climate. Winemakers universally accept that where a grape is grown influences its chemistry, which changes the flavor of the wine. A detailed system has codified the idea that where the grapes are grown matters to the wine. But why don’t we feel the same way about whiskey?
The master distiller Rob Arnold reveals how innovative whiskey producers are recapturing a sense of place to create distinctive, nuanced flavors. He takes readers on a world tour of whiskey and the science of flavor, stopping along the way at distilleries in Kentucky, New York, Texas, Ireland, and Scotland. Arnold puts the spotlight on a new generation of distillers, plant breeders, and local farmers who are bringing back long-forgotten grain flavors and creating new ones in pursuit of terroir. In the twentieth century, we inadvertently bred distinctive tastes out of grains in favor of high agronomic yields—but today’s artisans have teamed up to remove themselves from the commodity grain system, resurrect heirloom cereals, bring new varieties to life, and recapture the flavors of specific local ingredients. The Terroir of Whiskey makes the scientific and cultural cases that terroir is as important in whiskey as it is in wine.
Pros and Cons:
So this is the first book I wasn't able to get all the way through and that's my fault. I misunderstood what the book was going to be about. I thought it was going to be more about making drinks and the best whiskey flavors for each drink and it's not that at all. It reads much more like a research paper.
Would I recommend it?
For bartenders or people super interested in Whiskey.
May 4, 2021
Arnold has supplied the reader with a not to scientific approach to explain the terroir of whiskey, much like what is done for wine. He takes us where no one has gone before with whiskey. In it we get to meet local farmers and distillers as he goes into detail what it takes to make a good whiskey great. I have friends that are whiskey snobs and I think this would be a great gift for them to make them actually appreciate their drink just all the more. Special thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 5, 2020
The Terroir of Whiskey is a fascinating read and perfect for any whiskey enthusiast or a novice looking to learn more. The book is filled with a wealth of information and discusses a side of whiskey most people attribute to merely a ”wine” thing. Rob Arnold breaks down the importance of terroir in whiskey making and how it truly impacts the taste of the finished product.
dnf
October 17, 2020I got an advance copy of this from NetGalley, but only got about 2-3 chapters in. It was very interesting, but the formatting was super messed up, which made it really uncomfortable to attempt to read. Random things were made bold. Tables were messed up. Lots of random line breaks.
Would definitely be interested in reading the book, if the formatting were fixed, though.
Would definitely be interested in reading the book, if the formatting were fixed, though.
March 23, 2021
An interesting look at the effects of the place that the grain is grown has on the flavour of the whiskey. That being said I would only really recommend this to whiskey enthusiasts or people that are into distilling their own whiskey.
August 11, 2022
Rob Arnold take a scientific look at what exactly IS terroir, and how whiskey DOES have a terroir, in spite of decades of belief that it was a commodity product that couldn't reflect its various providences.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews