Whiskey & Philosophy

With a foreword by my old friend whisky writer Charles Maclean, this book lives up to its reference to spirited ideas. I had not realised that the explosion in the popularity of malts was a phenomenon of the last 30 years fuelled by consumer demand and media interest. The book makes a congenial companion to the appreciation of whisky, and it is recommended that one pour oneself a dram on opening the introduction. The editors are both Americans, hence the reader will find more references to bourbon that might normally be the case, but also a chapter on Japanese whisky. Like wine, whiskey conveys a sense of culture and place, nowhere more so than with Islay malts. Charles Maclean recommends that we use our nose as much as our palate if we are to appreciate whisky to the fullest, using a glass that narrows at the rim and not adding any ice, which he says closes down the aroma. If you're reading this in the evening, you might just want to check this observation.