Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

What a stunning book. It’s a host of things rolled into one and will truly delight the connoisseur, the reader interested in social history, the novice and expert whisky drinker alike. I confess that I’d like to love whisky. Scotland is most of my DNA but it’s taken me some years to understand the complexity of this amber nectar. Now I’m learning more about the joys of single malt and how to taste and savour, I’m keen to learn more and this book is simply perfect.

I love social history so was delighted to find that Gary Dobbs has cleverly brought the story of whisky together with a fascinating and diverse social history. The introductory chapters deal with the drink; brilliant. Well informed and lively, I’ve learned a lot. And the ‘noir’ side really hits the spot. So many stories brought together from all over the world. Who would normally put Twain and Sinatra together in a whisky book? Love the cover, the content and it’s going on my wish list for a hard copy as it deserves a place on my bookshelf, rather than as an ebook. It’s brilliant and would make an excellent gift for any whisky lover.

NetGalley, Anita Wallas

Dobbs is like a friend who takes you through the history of whisky with all its cobwebs. He starts with the history of whisky, originating in Europe, the United States, and beyond. The book begins with the standard history of whisky and then quickly turns to the scandals and crimes in Europe and beyond. Throughout the book, he inserts quotes from various famous people in history, from Mark Twain to Frank Sinatra. One quote from Mark Twain stood out to me. The author, Mark Twain said, " The true pioneer of civilization is not the newspaper, nor religion, not the railroad but whisky." Pictures of various whisky, bourbon, and scotch brands are inserted throughout the book. This book is an excellent addition to a whisky lover's library as it is not your typical whiskey encyclopedia.

NetGalley, Shannan Lee

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A brilliant education on the history of whiskey, or is it whisky? find out within these pages the strange history of it's name, the long and many years of bootlegging from Ireland and Scotland, to the American prohibition. thousands of years of insanely unfair taxation, the fight to make it, the fight to sell it, and the fight to drink it, and fight they do! from Whisky's effect on pop culture, to the way it tastes, to a band that plays their song to effect the flavor, this book has everything you could ever want to know about the water of life, acqua vitae and how it stamped it's mark on history from buccaneers, to the American revolution and beyond.

NetGalley, Krista Smith

A thrilling, dark dive into the mysterious and often bizarre history behind the drink we all love. While it includes the usual tasting notes and distillery info, this book focuses on the weird and spooky side of whisky, featuring stories about cannibals, ghosts, and ghouls, all tied to the amber liquid. Perfect for those who like a twist with their tipple, it’s full of quirky tales and obscure whisky quotes that’ll keep you entertained and provide plenty of conversation starters the next time you're sharing a glass with friends. Cheers to a whole new kind of whisky adventure!

NetGalley, Alejandra Martin

As someone who is trying to learn to love whisky, I found this book fascinating. I spend a lot of time around the product but never truly knew anything about the amber liquid. I will for sure now be blowing friends minds (or boring them) with the new found knowledge. This is such an interesting book!

NetGalley, ashley marie

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Very interesting book.
Love my whisky and this really helped teach side of my favourite drink that I didn't know.
Great gift for Xmas.

NetGalley, Karen Bull