Malt Whisky - Hardcover

This fully revised and updated edition of the whisky manual is divided into five sections. Firstly it explores the history of malt whisky and what it might have tasted like in the past. Then it looks at how the whisky is made and the contribution made by each ingredient and stage in the process to the flavour of the malt product. It examines how to best appreciate and evaluate the subtleties and how to describe the aroma and flavour of whisky. The fourth section looks at the contribution made by geography to the style and character of individual malts, and the fifth section is a directory, giving a brief account of all the malt whisky distilleries operating in Scotland since World War II, with tasting notes for their products wherever possible. Appendices provide a guide to buying whisky, including details of the leading independent bottlers, a guide to collecting whisky, details of some of the world's leading whisky clubs and websites, a list of the distilleries that welcome visitors and a substantial bibliography.

Scotland's leading whisky writer Charles MacLean was founding editor of Whisky Magazine and of the Russian Whisky, and was for many years Contributing Editor of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Newsletter (where he also chairs the Nosing Panel and writes the tasting notes). He contributes frequently to magazines around the world and is Whisky Correspondent to Scottish Field. He is Whisky Consultant to Bonhams Auctioneers, and is also the host of a TV channel (accessed via the internet) dedicated to the world of whisky, www.singlemalt.TV. He is a member of the Judging Panel (Spirits) of the International Wines & Spirits Competition, and was made a Keeper of the Quaich in 1992 and elevated to Master of the Quaich in October 2009 - the whisky industry's highest accolade. MacLean has published ten books on the subject, including Scotch Whisky, Malt Whisky, Whisky: A Liquid History, Whisky Tales, Eyewitness Companion to Whisky, World Whiskies and Whiskypedia.