Single Malt and Scotch Whisky: A Guide to Hundreds of Brands and Varieties

by Daniel Lerner

This guide to single malt and Scotch whiskey is an essential resource for novices and seasoned experts alike. It includes more than 200 brands and varieties of Scotch and single malt whiskey. Ratings and detailed information on Scotch and the Scotch industry are included. Information on each brand includes the varieties' strength, aroma, flavor, and distinguishing characteristics. The history and lore of single malt and Scotch whisky is shown in both text and color photographs.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food

Hardcover

First published January 10, 1997

Reviews

[Gregory Klages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up to a 4, not due to real shortcomings in the book, but based on its usefulness primarily for those unfamiliar with single-malts.

A brief, clear, and interesting introduction to the history and production of single malts. Most of the book is taken up with short tasting notes to products from the major Scottish distilleries. A little out of date by 2019.

[Moira Fogarty · Rating 2 out of 5]

If brevity is the soul of wit, then this book is damned witty. Lots of questionable design went into this book, with awkward use of fonts and italics, large blurry photos watermarking pages behind text, and not a ton of information. Soundbites in place of proper tasting notes, with no authority behind them "My favourite of the tasting!" or "Too bold for my taste!" that feel as if they were recorded in the midst of a rowdy piss-up rather than a considered tasting session. A quick overview of the history of the scotch, with no deeper probing of the methods, and usually only covering one major offering per brand, to give a general flavour of what you can expect from, say, Laphroaig as a whole, rather than providing the distinctions that separate the 10 and 18 year offerings from the Quarter-Cask. A quick read, but not a deep one. Also, my edition was quite out of date, with many of the labels and ownership having changed since publication.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is strange that I am giving this book four stars since I will never read two thirds of it! I do, however, have to say that the third that I did read was entertaining and informative. The parts that I will not read are simply a long list of different brands of whisky. While the history of some of the distilleries, or specifics about how each distiller creates their product could be interesting, I would rather drink it than read about it.

[Francis M DeVito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read for all levels of scotch awareness

So much information so much knowledge, awesome !
I highly recommend this book . Could not put this book down once I started it ! Wow !

[R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but a little dated.