Curious Bartender – serie

In this new small-format edition of Tristan Stephenson's original best-selling book, he explains the origins of the cocktail and showcases classic drinks alongside his own ingenious reinventions.A true master of his craft, in this book bartender, restaurateur, spirit consultant, brand owner and drinks author Tristan explores and experiments with the art of mixing the perfect cocktail, explaining the fascinating modern turns mixology has taken. Showcasing a selection of classic cocktails, he explains their intriguing origins, introducing the colourful historical characters who inspired or created them. Moving on, he reinvents each drink from his laboratory, adding contemporary twists to breathe fresh life into these vintage classics. Stay true to the originals with a Sazerac or a Rob Roy, or experiment with some of his modern variations to create a Green Fairy Sazerac topped with an absinthe ‘air’ or an Insta-age Rob Roy with the ‘age’ on the side. Also included is a reference section detailing all the techniques you will need, making this an essential anthology for the cocktail enthusiast.

"Rigorously researched and richly illustrated...Meticulous in detail and gleeful in its discoveries, this trip is a joyride for any whiskey lover." Publishers WeeklyBuckle up and join bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur Tristan Stephenson on a Stateside tour and learn all there is to know about the finest whiskey and bourbon America has to offer.Whiskey in America is a regional product that has evolved in different ways and at a differing pace depending on where you go. Tristan Stephenson’s road trip enabled him to visit more than 40 unique distilleries, from long-established makers in the states that are the spiritual home of the industry – Kentucky and Tennessee – to newer craft-distillers in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and even California and Texas. In his own unique style, which is both fiercely entertaining and meticulously well-researched, Tristan weaves together the full and fascinating story of American whiskey, from its history and production methods to the origins of iconic cocktails still enjoyed in bars around the world today.

A captivating introduction to the world of fine whiskies, brought to you by bestselling author, restaurateur, bar-owner and world-class drinks connoisseur Tristan Stephenson.Tristan explores the origins of whisky, from the extraordinary Chinese distillation pioneers well over 2,000 years ago to the discovery of the medicinal ‘aqua vitae’ (water of life), through to the emergence of what we know as whisky. Explore the magic of malting, the development of flavour and the astonishing barrel-ageing process as you learn about how whisky is made. After that, you might choose to make the most of Tristan’s bar skills with some inspirational house-blends and whisky-based cocktails. This fascinating, entertaining and comprehensive book is sure to appeal to aficionados and novices alike.

Discover why rum is fast becoming the hottest spirit in the world right now with this essential companion from bestselling author and master mixologist Tristan Stephenson.The Curious Bartender’s Guide to Rum explores rum’s remarkable history from its humble origins to its status as life-blood of the Royal Navy and its love affair with Cuba. Discover its darker past, with tales of devils, pirates and its reputation as the revolutionary spirit. Now this fabled drink is in the midst of another revolution, transforming from uninspiring grog to premium product. Barrel-aged dark varieties are leading the charge and poised to attract existing Bourbon fans while the cocktail Renaissance that began in the early 2000s has recently expanded to include tiki and non-tiki rum cocktails. Is this entertaining primer you’ll learn how rum is made, from the science of sugar cane and molasses to distillation and unique ageing techniques. Next, Tristan’s unrivalled mixology skills will help you master jazzed-up versions of the Mai Tai and Mojito, perfect a Planter’s Punch and keep you on trend with Brazil’s famous Caipirinha and Batida cocktails, made with rum’s sister spirit, cachaça. Let the rum revolution begin!

An expert guide to setting up a home bar, plus over 75 cocktail recipes to try from one of the world’s leading bartenders, drinks industry innovator and best-selling author.Preparing a first-class cocktail relies upon an understanding of its ingredients and the delicate alchemy of how they work together. Here, Tristan Stephenson – drinks industry consultant, bar owner, restaurateur and author of best-selling drinks books – offers his expert advice on the fundamentals of home mixology and shares his perfected recipes for classic cocktails. Enjoy a Manhattan, Negroni and Martini, discover lesser known vintage gems including the Martinez and Aviation as well as modern favourites the Espresso Martini and Mojito.

Tristan Stephenson is back to shake up the cocktail world once more, perfecting classic cocktails and offering his signature reinventions using his world-renowned mixology skills.The Curious Bartender: In Pursuit of Liquid Perfection is the sixth book by bestselling author and legendary bartender Tristan Stephenson. You’ll find 64 of the finest cocktails: 32 perfected classics and 32 game-changing reinventions of classics. Tristan makes you discover tastebuds and talents you never knew you had. You will find recipes for everything from a White Russian or a Tom Collins to an Umami Bomb or a Giraffe. He’ll show you the tools of the trade, the techniques he swears by and how to experiment to create your own cocktail sensations at home. Tristan’s done all the hard work for you – all you have to do is leaf through the pages of his book. This is a fantastic new edition of the previously published The Curious Bartender’s New Testament.

WINNER of the Drink Book category at the 2026 Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards.DISCOVER the HERITAGE of AGAVE-BASED SPIRITS in the first all-new book in five years by Tristan Stephenson, master mixologist, spirit entrepreneur and AWARD-WINNING BESTSELLING author of the Curious Bartender series of books.This book is an account of Tristan’s remarkable JOURNEY through SIX MEXICAN STATES and into the heartlands of AGAVE SPIRIT production to discover the spirit of Mexico in every sense. It is a physical, geographical journey, but also a historical, cultural and spiritual one. Along the way Tristan explores different producers, tell their stories and shares their philosophies, as well as the story of Mexican spirit: its food, cocktails, music, geography and politics.By the end he has provided the reader with a strong taste of what makes this country so special and what makes agave spirits one of the most exciting of all the world’s spirit categories today. Also included are perfected recipes for Tristan’s pick of the finest agave spirit drinks there are, including the legendary Margarita, Paloma and Batida as well as modern classics Tommy’s Margarita and Tinglet.

From the newly crowned WINNER of the Drink Book category at the 2026 Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards.In his latest book, MASTER MIXOLOGIST, best-selling author, AWARD-WINNING bar owner, popular podcaster and emerging distiller TRISTAN STEPHENSON turns his gaze to vodka.Featuring 20 CLASSIC and MODERN vodka-based cocktails.His journey begins in the historic home of vodka, the so-called 'Vodka Belt' of northeastern Europe, where he uncovers the fables and ancient production techniques of a spirit inextricably linked to the identity of these heartlands. But vodka has broadened its boundaries and travelled into Asia, North America and Australia so Tristan shines a light on 40 of the most exceptional vodka operations in the world, many with extraordinary histories and characters as memorable as the spirits they produce. With the prevalence and diversity of vodka brands available today, it’s easy to forget that it was only in the 1990s that super premium vodka was born. The success of vodka’s premiumization continued in the 21st century as consumers began to prioritise quality and craftsmanship, and this extended into the 2010s, with the evolution of ethical consumerism. Vodka seems destined to continue its march onwards and upwards, adapting and evolving to suit consumers’ changing tastes. But one thing that hasn’t changed is vodka’s versatility as a cocktail base.

Preparing a first-class cocktail relies upon a deep understanding of its ingredients, the delicate alchemy of how they work together.In The Curious Bartender, Tristan Stephenson explores and experiments with the art of mixing the perfect cocktail, explaining the fascinating modern turns mixology has taken. Showcasing a selection of classic cocktails, he explains their intriguing origins, introducing the colourful historical characters who inspired or created them. Moving on, he reinvents each drink from his laboratory, adding contemporary twists to breathe fresh life into these vintage classics. Stay true to the originals with a Sazerac or a Rob Roy, or experiment with some of his modern variations to create a Green Fairy Sazerac topped with an absinthe ‘air’ or an Insta-age Rob Roy with the ‘age’ on the side. Also included is a reference section detailing all the techniques you will need, making this an essential anthology for the cocktail enthusiast.

An innovative, captivating tour of the finest whiskies the world has to offer, brought to you by bestselling author and whisky connoisseur Tristan Stephenson.Tristan explores the origins of whisky, from the extraordinary Chinese distillation pioneers well over 2,000 years ago to the discovery of the medicinal ‘aqua vitae’ (water of life), through to the emergence of what we know as whisky. Explore the magic of malting, the development of flavour and the astonishing barrel-ageing process as you learn about how whisky is made. In the main chapter, Tristan takes us on a journey through 56 distilleries around the world, exploring their remarkable quirks, unique techniques and flavours, featuring all new location photography from the Scottish Highlands to Tennessee. After that, you might choose to make the most of Tristan’s bar skills with some inspirational whisky-based cocktails. This fascinating, comprehensive book is sure to appeal to whisky aficionados and novices alike.

An innovative, captivating tour of the finest gins and distilleries the world has to offer, brought to you by bestselling author and gin connoisseur Tristan Stephenson.The Curious Bartender’s Gin Palace is the follow-up to master mixologist Tristan Stephenson’s hugely successful books, 'The Curious Bartender' and 'The Curious Bartender: An Odyssey of Malt, Bourbon & Rye Whiskies'. Discover the extraordinary journey that gin has taken, from its origins in the Middle Ages as the herbal medicine ‘genever’ to gin’s commercialization and the dark days of the Gin Craze in mid 18th Century London, through to its partnership with tonic water – creating the most palatable and enjoyable anti-malarial medication – to the golden age that it is now experiencing. In the last few years, hundreds of distilleries and micro-distilleries are cropping up all over the world, producing superb craft products infused with remarkable new blends of botanicals. In this book, you’ll be at the cutting-edge of the most exciting developments, uncovering the alchemy of the gin production process and the science of flavour before taking a tour through the most exciting distilleries and gins the world has to offer. Finally, put Tristan’s mixology skills into practice with a dozen spectacular cocktails including a Purl, a Rickey and a Fruit Cup.