Whiskey

Today is National Whiskey Sour Day! A whiskey sour is a mixed drink made with whiskey (often bourbon), lemon juice, and sugar.  They are shaken and served either straight or over ice, traditionally garnished with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.  Here are ten books on whiskey & bourbon.

American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye: A Guide to the Nation's Favorite Spirit by Clay Risen - The number of commercially available American whiskeys has grown exponentially over the past 20 years--as has its popularity. Discerning drinkers will savor this, the only guide devoted solely to US-made whiskey, rye, and bourbon. Arranged alphabetically by distillery and/or brand, it offers histories, ratings, and tasting notes for over 200 whiskeys. Each main account includes the name and address of the maker, including website URL and contact information, along with its various products. In addition to finding information on how to get the best value for your money, you'll learn how to buy whiskey, how to read a label, which whiskey to give as a gift, and much more.

Blood & Whiskey: The Life and Times of Jack Daniel by Peter Krass - The first-ever biography of the man who created America's most famous whiskey. Born in Lynchburg, Tennessee, in 1850, Jack Daniel became a legendary moonshiner at age 15 before launching a legitimate distillery ten years later. By the time he died in 1911, he was an American legend-and his Old No. 7 Tennessee sipping whiskey was an international sensation, the winner of gold medals at the St. Louis World's Fair and the Liege International Exposition in Belgium. Blood and Whiskey captures Daniel's indomitable rise in the rough-edged world of the nineteenth-century whiskey trade-and shows how his commitment to quality (his whiskey was always charcoal-filtered) and his flair for marketing and packaging (he launched his distinctive square bottle in 189-5) helped create one of America's most venerable and recognizable brands.

The Bourbon Bartender: 50 Cocktails to Celebrate the American Spirit by Jane Danger & Alla Lapushchik - Made in America and aged in charred new American oak barrels, bourbon is the quintessential US spirit--but the best part is mixing it up into tasty drinks. Here are the best of the best. Whiskey experts Jane Danger and Alla Lapushchik offer timeless classics and forgotten gems, such as the Old Fashioned and the Boulevardier, as well as cutting-edge craft concoctions, including the Brown Derby and Paper Plane. They also serve up a short history of bourbon, tips for making delicious infusions and syrups, sidebars chronicling bourbon's influence on American culture, short profiles of the country's best bourbon-focused bars, and a calendar of bourbon festivals and events--everything a bourbon lover could want.

Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America's Whiskey by Reid Mitenbuler - How bourbon came to be, and why it's experiencing such a revival today Unraveling the many myths and misconceptions surrounding America's most iconic spirit, Bourbon Empire traces a history that spans frontier rebellion, Gilded Age corruption, and the magic of Madison Avenue. Whiskey has profoundly influenced America's political, economic, and cultural destiny, just as those same factors have inspired the evolution and unique flavor of the whiskey itself. Taking readers behind the curtain of an enchanting-and sometimes exasperating-industry, the work of writer Reid Mitenbuler crackles with attitude and commentary about taste, choice, and history. Few products better embody the United States, or American business, than bourbon. A tale of innovation, success, downfall, and resurrection, Bourbon Empire is an exploration of the spirit in all its unique forms, creating an indelible portrait of both bourbon and the people who make it.

Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit by Dane Huckelbridge - A history of bourbon traces its origins in the backwoods of Appalachia to the multi-billion dollar international bourbon whiskey industry today and introduces the cast of characters central to its creation and development.  Few products are so completely or intimately steeped in the American story as bourbon whiskey. As Dane Huckelbridge's masterfully crafted history reveals, the iconic amber spirit is the American experience, distilled, aged, and sealed in a bottle.

Gentlemen Bootleggers: The True Story of Templeton Rye, Prohibition, and a Small Town in Cahoots by Bryce T. Bauer - During Prohibition, while Al Capone was rising to worldwide prominence as Public Enemy Number One, the townspeople of rural Templeton, Iowa--population just 428--were busy with a bootlegging empire of their own. Led by Joe Irlbeck, the whip-smart and gregarious son of a Bavarian immigrant, the outfit of farmers, small merchants, and even the church Monsignor worked together to create a whiskey so excellent it was ordered by name: Templeton Rye. Gentlemen Bootleggers tells a never-before-told tale of ingenuity, bootstrapping, and perseverance in one small town, showcasing a group of immigrants who embraced the American ideals of self-reliance, dynamism, and democratic justice. It relies on previously classified Prohibition Bureau investigation files, federal court case files, extensive newspaper archive research, and a recently disclosed interview with kingpin Joe Irlbeck. Unlike other Prohibition-era tales of big-city gangsters, it provides an important reminder that bootlegging wasn't only about glory and riches, but could be in the service of a higher goal: producing the best whiskey money could buy

Tasting Whiskey: An Insider's Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World's Finest Spirits by Lew Bryson - Pour a stiff drink and crack open this comprehensive guide to everything there is to know about the world's greatest whiskeys. Exploring the traditions behind bourbon, Scotch, Irish, and even Japanese whiskey, you'll discover how unique flavors are created through variations of ingredients and different distilling techniques. With advice on how to collect, age, and serve whiskey, as well as suggestions for proven food pairings, you'll be inspired to share your knowledge and invite your friends over for a delicious whiskey tasting party.

Whiskey Cocktails: Rediscovered Classics and Contemporary Craft Drinks Using the World's Most Popular Spirit by Warren Bobrow - Grab your bow tie and a rocks glass, because we're talking all about one of the most classic - and classy - spirits. Whether you like bourbon, scotch or rye, whiskey's diverse and complex taste will be your new go-to drink for parties, gatherings, or evenings in your study with a roaring fire. Whiskey can be an intimidating drink to the uninitiated. Most folks may not be able to drink it straight. We've got you covered. The Cocktail Whisperer, Warren Bobrow, author of Apothecary Cocktails (Fair Winds Press) incorporates some of the best whiskeys into hand-crafted cocktails that bring out the subtle notes and flavors of any good bourbon or scotch. Whiskey Cocktails features 75 traditional, newly-created, and original recipes for whiskey-based cocktails. This wonderfully crafted book also features drink recipes from noted whiskey experts and bartenders.

Whiskey Distilled: A Populist Guide to the Water of Life by Heather Greene - Whiskey is in the midst of a huge renaissance. Ten years ago, the United States housed sixty-nine craft distillers; today, there are more than four hundred. Exports of Scotch whisky grew 12 percent just last year. Sales are skyrocketing, and specialty bars are popping up around the country, from New York City to Chicago to Houston.
 Yet whiskey drinkers—especially novices—are more confused than ever. Over the past decade, whiskey expert Heather Greene has been bombarded with thousands of questions, including: Can I have ice in my whiskey? Why is it sometimes spelled "whisky"? What makes bourbon different? As New York City’s first female whiskey sommelier, Greene introduces audiences to the spirit’s charms and challenges the boys' club sensibilities that have made whiskey seem inaccessible, with surprising new research that shows the crucial importance of "nosing" whiskey. Through lively tastings, speaking engagements, and classes such as the popular "Whiskey as an Aphrodisiac," Greene has been demystifying whiskey the way Andrea Immer did wine a decade ago.
 In this lively and authoritative guide, Greene uses bright visuals, an easy-to-read format, and the familiar vocabulary of wine to teach readers about whiskey and encourage them to make their own evaluations. Peppered with wry anecdotes drawn from her unusual life—and including recipes for delicious cocktails by some of today’s most celebrated mixologists—Whiskey Distilled will be enthusiastically greeted by the whiskey curious as well as by journeymen whiskey drinkers thirsty to learn more about their beloved tipple.

The World Atlas of Whisky: More Than 200 Distilleries Explored and 750 Expressions Tasted by Dave Broom - Award-winning author and whisky expert Dave Broom explores over 200 distilleries and examines over 400 expressions. Detailed descriptions of the Scottish distilleries can be found here, while Ireland, Japan, the USA, Canada and the rest of the world are given exhaustive coverage. There are tasting notes on single malts from Aberfeldy to Tormore, Yoichi (and coverage of the best of the blends). Six specially created 'Flavour Camp Charts' group whiskies by style, allow readers to identify new whiskies from around the world to try. This extensively updated and extended edition features new material on burgeoning areas, including detailed coverage of many recently opened US craft distilleries, new distilleries in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and discussion of the growing whisky scene in Latin America. With over 200 beautiful colour photographs and 21 colour maps locating distilleries and whisky-related sites, this is a stylish celebration of the heritage, romance, craftsmanship and versatility of whisky.