A Field Guide to Whisky: An Expert Compendium to Take Your Passion and Knowledge to the Next Level

by Hans Offringa

A Field Guide to Whisky is a one-stop guide for all the information a whisky enthusiast needs. With the whisky market booming all over the world, now is a perfect time for a comprehensive guide to this popular brown spirit. What are the basic ingredients in all whiskies? How does it get its flavor? Which big-name brands truly deserve their reputation? What are the current whisky trends around the world? And who was Jack Daniel, anyway? This abundance of information is distilled(!) into 324 short entries covering basic whisky literacy, production methods, consumption tips, trends, trivia, geographical maps and lists of distilleries, whisky trails, bars, hotels, and festivals by an industry insider. Boasting 230 color photographs and a beautiful package to boot, A Field Guide to Whisky will make a whisky expert out of anyone.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Cookbooks

320 pages, Hardcover

Published May 2, 2017

Reviews

[Bastiaan Aelbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ideale instapper om je te doen onderdompelen in de wondere wereld van de whisky! Allerereerst wordt het productieproces van malt whisky, Bourbon, blended... in voldoende details uitgelegd, verder leren we wat over de geschiedenis en wetgeving omtrent spirits, en tenslotte leer je proeven als "'nen echte".

Nu is het een kwestie van de collectie uitbouwen!

[Christian Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chalked with info, this guide will wet your whistle if you’re at all curious of the world of whisky. Hans Offeinga supplies a wealth of information shedding light on the distillation/bottling/distribution of whisky, it’s history, considerations for buying/investing, great pictures, recommendations, and fun trivia throughout. I especially like the quotes from famous people sharing their love of the liquid sunshine. I learned about things like Angel’s Share, stories behind whisky names, everything involving a cask, and Robert Burns’ ode to the traditional Scottish dish “Address to a Haggis” just to name a few. Strictly under the category of guides, there’s no reason not to give it 5 stars. It really is a fun & educational read because this man is so passionate about whisky. Whether it’s on your bookshelf, next to your scotches, or sitting on your coffee table as decoration, this field guide serves as a great reference for both the beginner and master distiller.

*Honorable Mention: “Tell me what brand of whiskey General Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other Generals.”
-Abraham Lincoln

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read. It had color photographs. It was a good overview of the whiskey history and industry for the hobbyist. It seemed to definitely lean heavy in the direction of scotch single malt, but it was still good information. My next book will be more specific to American rye whiskey and bourbon.

[Dale Sabo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compendium of short articles that give a novice like myself a nice overview of history, production, and process for Whisky and Whiskey around the world.

[Michael Grizer (He-Him) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little introduction to whisky. Definitely recommend. Short read, pretty well written, and full of great information.

[Yanjia Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is not bad, a great start to explore the world of Whisky. Personally, I like the taste of Scotch but never systematically learned about this spirit. So I was hoping a more thorough introduction. However, this book is more like a long FAQ list that categorized by several topics. It touches lots of terminologies and history but doesn't give enough guidance on flavor, styles and distilleries details. So, technically, everything from this book can be found from Wikipedia. The book itself looks quite gorgeous though, it's indeed like an art piece that can be used to decorate the living room.

[Rachel McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beginners guide. Easy reading and light overview of whisky for novice. Four stars because of the format, which was great when you forgot a term. Great help for present shopping for whisky lovers

[Karthik Raghavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be a good read for a novice who has taken to Whisky. For those familiar with the complex characteristics of the drink, it's still got ample history, tidbits and trivia. Sticks to what's on the cover - A Compendium. With the author's notes in Q&A format, it would feel like you're on a Wikipedia marathon, interesting nevertheless. Nearly half the book covers the distillation, maturation and bottling processes. The rest of is concise, if not too much to swallow much like a heavy finish whisky. Would've liked to see more on food pairing. Would recommend it for a casual read or to possibly learn more about Whisky but it certainly won't make you an expert. Classy hard-cover.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this wide-ranging introduction to the world of whisky. It has loads of information in a very accessible format, it has a good index and bibliography and a wide-ranging list of resources, and is a great starting point for a comprehensive exploration of whisky. It is also one of the most attractive first edition bindings I have seen in a long time. If you are new to the subject matter I can't imagine a better place to start.

[BNZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy bueno para iniciarse en el mundo del whisky. A modo de preguntas y respuestas da información sobre todo: cómo se produce, cómo cata, zonas, personajes relevantes, marcas...
En fin: muy bueno para comenzar en el amplio y apasionante mundo del whisky.

[Robert Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting more of a narrative exploration of whiskey, but this is more an encyclopedia. Lots of great info, just presented in snippets of info rather than a cohesive story.

[Kevin Christiansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a fun read.

[Lou Florio · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a thorough reference book with nice illustrations. At times, the information is too basic, but overall, it’s a great review of all things whisky.

[Cory Camarote · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be an AWESOME book for newer whiskey drinkers or just those just interested in learning about whiskey as a whole. Very easy to digest, nice pictures, simple explanations.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read in Q and A format - great overview of the topic.