Gavin D. Smith – författare

‘For the reader who knows little about whisky, this is a book that will easily and enjoyably fill that gap.’ – Sir Alexander McCall Smith Beginning with the origins of distilling in 1200BC by alchemists in China and India, journey through whisky’s early origins as an illicit alcohol made in the hills of Scotland and Ireland, to the exciting small batch whiskies being produced today by craft distillers and master blenders all over the world.Through over 100 stories, legends and anecdotes, discover the origins of the quaich, whisky glass and corkscrew: and look inside iconic distilleries from around the world with stunning photographs and historic images.Award-winning writers Charles MacLean and Gavin D. Smith offer a rollocking narrative; describing the adventures of the legendary characters who shaped the whisky industry. With flavour influenced as much by history, craft and tradition as it is by science, in The Story of Whisky, find out why your drink tastes the way it does, where whisky flavours come from and how they are changing to embrace the future..

‘For the reader who knows little about whisky, this is a book that will easily and enjoyably fill that gap.’ Sir Alexander McCall Smith With a foreword by Sir Alexander McCall Smith, award-winning writers Charles MacLean and Gavin D. Smith offer a rollocking narrative; describing the adventures of the legendary characters who shaped the whisky industry and how three basic ingredients – grain, yeast and water ­– combine to make a drink with a multitude of different flavours.Discover the origins of distilling in 1200BC, mainly in China and India, beginning with whisky’s early origins as an illicit alcohol made in the hills of Scotland and Ireland, to the exciting small batch whiskies being produced today by craft distillers and master blenders all over the world. The Story of Whisky immerses you in over 100 stories, legends and anecdotes, illustrated with historical images and stunning photographs of landscapes and iconic distilleries: inside and out.With flavour influenced as much by history, craft and tradition as it is by science, in The Story of Whisky, find out why your drink tastes the way it does, where whisky flavours come from and how they are changing to embrace the future.

Pilsners, blonde ales, India pale ales, lagers, porters, stouts: the varieties and styles of beer are endless. But as diverse as the drink is, its appeal is universal – beer is the most-consumed alcoholic beverage in the world. From pubs and inns to restaurants, bars and microbreweries, beer has made itself a staple drink around the globe. Celebrating the heritage of the world’s favourite tipple, Gavin D. Smith traces beer from its earliest days to its contemporary consumption.After exploring the evolution of brewing technology, the book travels from Mexico to Milwaukee, Beijing, Bruges and beyond, demonstrating the dazzling variety of beer styles and brewing processes to be found around the world. Once brewed in monasteries to be consumed as ‘liquid bread’ on fast days, beer is now the drink of choice at festivals and celebrations worldwide. Containing a wealth of detail in its concise, wonderfully illustrated pages, Beer will appeal to connoisseurs and casual fans alike.

Whisky is the world’s favourite spirit and is enjoying booming sales, especially in the USA and Asia, yet too often it’s shrouded in mystery, myth and complex- sounding terminology. This authoritative beginner’s guide cuts straight through all of this, with simple advice on how to seek out and enjoy the immense diversity of flavours and styles on offer.The eBook covers not just famous Highland malts, Irish pot still whiskeys and American bourbons, but also whiskies from South East Asia, Japan and Canada, as well as whiskies from many other producing countries, ranging from Wales through to Taiwan. There is advice on how to nose, taste and savour, how to organize a whisky tasting, which glassware to use, as well as a selection of classic whisky cocktails and advice on matching food and whisky. This is a true beginner’s guide providing a clear insight into the modern world of whisky in a way that’s never been done before.Author InformationNeil Ridley is one of the UK’s new breed of passionate young wine & spirits writers. In 2008 he developed the award-winning whisky & spirits blog Caskstrength.net with his colleague Joel Harrison. Neil writes regularly about a wide range of different drinks for drinks and lifestyle publications. He is also on the judging panel for the World Whisky Awards. In the last 18 months he has hosted over 100 different spirits-based tastings from as far afield as Japan to Lithuania.Gavin Smith is a professional freelance journalist and author who specialises in the subjects of whisky and beer. Gavin now acts as contributing editor for www.whisky-pages.com, as well as contributing to other leading drinks magazines. He also regularly undertakes commissions for leading drinks companies and hosts whisky events. He is married and lives in the Scottish Borders.

Whisky is the world’s favourite spirit and is enjoying booming sales, yet too often it’s shrouded in mystery, myth and complex-sounding terminology.This authoritative book, written by three world experts, gives simple advice on how to seek out and enjoy the immense diversity of flavours and styles on offer, and how to become more adventurous.As with any subject, the more you know, the more you can appreciate and enjoy it. This book aims to equip you with enough knowledge to be able to find your way around the whisky sections of a specialist drinks retailer and to help you feel confident choosing whisky in a bar or restaurant. We aim to demystify whisky without taking away the magic. The history of whisky and production methods are clearly explained, and there is advice on how to nose, taste and savour, as well as a selection of classic whisky cocktails and advice on matching food and whisky.The book covers not just famous Highland malts, Irish pot still whiskeys and American bourbons, but also whiskies from Japan, Canada, Australia and India.

Whisky is the world’s favourite spirit and is enjoying booming sales, yet too often it’s shrouded in mystery, myth and complex-sounding terminology.This authoritative book, written by three world experts, gives simple advice on how to seek out and enjoy the immense diversity of flavours and styles on offer, and how to become more adventurous.As with any subject, the more you know, the more you can appreciate and enjoy it. This book aims to equip you with enough knowledge to be able to find your way around the whisky sections of a specialist drinks retailer and to help you feel confident choosing whisky in a bar or restaurant. We aim to demystify whisky without taking away the magic. The history of whisky and production methods are clearly explained, and there is advice on how to nose, taste and savour, as well as a selection of classic whisky cocktails and advice on matching food and whisky.The book covers not just famous Highland malts, Irish pot still whiskeys and American bourbons, but also whiskies from Japan, Canada, Australia and India.