La Aqua Vida

By surprisingly high demand I’ve been asked to share whether I know of any good books on whiskey.

Yes I’m just as shocked as you are.

Let me make one thing clear: no amount of reading or research is going to replace what you learn by actually sampling whiskey.

You know all that pretentious bullshit some people say about wine when they’re trying to impress a group? Yeah, turns out there’s actually something to all that.

As with grape so with grain, eh?

In order to understand those nuances you need to actually try whiskey which is great because that gives you an excuse to try more whiskey!

(Just trust me, ok?)

Now that we’ve got that out of the way let me recommend three books that may help you broaden your understanding of that burning brown liquor your dad keeps in the basement and that you choked on in highschool when trying to impress some girls (Yes, Mike, I’m calling you out here).     

1.       The Complete Whiskey Course: A Comprehensive Tasting School in Ten Classes

While perhaps overly technical for beginners it will certainly help you better understand the chemical reactions that take place in your whiskey. Just do yourself a favor and don’t talk about esters and lactones at parties. No one likes that person. Don’t be that person. Expand your knowledge and use it as a catalyst to exploring new whiskeys and rediscovering those you’ve already enjoyed

2.       A Glass Apart: Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey by Fionnan O’Connor

Odd critique right off the bat: the typing in this book is small as fuck. I cannot fathom why, but I digress. This is the only book on Irish whiskey I’ve stumbled across that wasn’t a gag gift and I cannot recommend it enough. It’s got science, history, tasting notes, and pairing recommendations! It helped me add a few whiskeys to my list of things to try (looking at you Connemara….someday). If you like a splash of the Irish and are interested in learning more about why it’s so good this one will tickle your fancy.

3.       Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America’s Whiskeys by Reid Mitenbuler

Who doesn’t like to learn more about bourbon? A liquor that’s unique to America and tasty to boot. I don’t think we can ask for more than that can we? Learn the history, contemplate the contemporary, and drink some good ol’ American hooch. Make the founding fathers proud.