American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye: A Guide to the Nation's Favorite Spirit - A Cocktail Book

If something like Clay Risen's American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye had existed when I became interested in the finer points of the nation's favorite spirit a decade ago, I'd have enjoyed better whiskey and saved a lot of money over that period. If you want to initiate or enhance your enjoyment of the burgeoning American whiskey renaissance -- and do so without wasting a lot of time and money -- there is no guide that I would more highly recommend. If you are not familiar with Mr. Risen's impressive resume, this could also serve as your introduction to this talented young writer's work. In this case he reveals his incredible passion for whiskey by working diligently to share his vast knowledge and experience with the reader. After you read it there will be no doubt in your mind that the author is the right man to guide you on your tour of American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye. Without pretension or arrogance, Mr. Risen first offers a gestalt view of American whiskey -- defining what it is and is not, its history, how the stuff is made, demystification of labels and nomenclature, and good advice on how best to enjoy it. But the real gold is in the Whiskey Accounts, which offer fundamental metrics and simple, descriptive notes on more than 200 whiskeys. This section is spot on, and has the potential to lead readers of all experience levels to countless enjoyable sips. I'd suggest sampling nearly any of the recommendations that feature more stars than dollar signs in the simple and intuitive rating/cost scheme. If you are an American whiskey novice or intermediate, investing in this book will quickly return value for you. I admit that over the years I have unfortunately wasted many times the cover price of this guide trying to find affordable brown liquor gems like the one revealed at the bottom of page 133. And if like me you'd rather spend your hard-earned $$$ on a baseball glove than on a rye whiskey that tastes like one, be sure to note the "NR" ratings that indicate the bottles you may want to avoid. These digital days I buy very few hardcovers but this is a beautifully bound volume that is not too massive to carry along on a visit to your liquor store. Unlike a lot of references this is an attractive book that will look great on any bookshelf, bar or coffee table. Inside, the page design is a sensible marriage of form and function, with easily digested presentations of information and rich color photographs that pop off the page and also serve as search images to help you spot the next bottle you decide to target for purchase. The book closes with even more functional bits: a reference list, glossary, and index. In the next edition I would love to see a quick-look summary of good values, or maybe a few lists of personal favorites in various categories. Like all good things this book leaves you wanting even more, and an app or e-pub with some kind of sort/filter/search functionality might be the next logical step for this invaluable content. In the mean time, buying this book is probably the most affordable and entertaining way a non-expert can increase his or her knowledge and enjoyment of American whiskeys.

Excellent book. Explains the real interesting subject of Whiskey. It gives a simple and detailed account of all the popular brands, rating them for the whiskey enthusiast. It shows the details of the distilling process, what and why they do a particular process different from the other distillery. Interestingly it shows that there are some whiskeys that are excellent and responsibly priced and some that are expensive and not very good. And that some whiskeys are a blend of several a particular distillery makes. While another might be a blend of several distillers. A five star rating system for quality and the cost in $20-$30 per ($), plus details about the distillery, the different flavors of the particular whiskey and their honest opinion. It is packed with information on the whole whisky business history. Plainly explains questions about how they proof a whisky, the aging process, and the real key to any whisky , the charred wooden barrels they are aged in that gives them there unique flavor. It’s without a drought probably the best book I’ve ever read on the subject and I highly recommend it to anyone interested

The Internet is full of scattershot whiskey reviews that lack context and, all too often, are written by over-exuberant cheerleaders who won't give you the straight dope out of fear distilleries will stop sending them free bottles. Risen is way above that. He puts it all in one place and isn't afraid to deep-six the overpriced dreck flowing out of many hip craft distilleries; nor is he too cool to praise the efforts of big, unglamorous brands whose craftsmanship deserves it. On the flip side, he'll readily point you to the upstarts stepping out on the road to stardom, and deflate the lackluster efforts of big labels coasting through life on their marketing budgets. Fair and keen, it's a lucid roadmap for navigating an increasingly complex landscape. Whiskey writers are a lot like film or music critics. Even if you've never met, it's important to feel like you know the reviewer a little bit and understand where his particular tastes and boundaries sit. Otherwise, opinions mean very little. Risen's large body of engaging, consistent work makes him the rare trustworthy go-to. Even if your own tastes don't always entirely match up, his consistency makes his advice useful. He'll help whiskey newbies gain the footing to develop their own opinions, and connoisseurs who already have their sea legs will appreciate sound advice for sailing unfamiliar waters. His sharp, concise history section and his analysis of market trends will only enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of American whiskey.

I'm a big fan of bourbon and couldn't resist picking up this book when it came out. A great overview of bourbon in general as well as good reviews of some bourbons. Here are the pros and cons. Pros: 1. Good section in the beginning talking about history of bourbon. 2. Pretty much covers all readily available bourbons that you will find in stores. 3. Great looking presentation. Cons: 1. Binding was crooked 2. Paper is thick and glossy and creases easily. Not comfortable to flip and feels cheap 3. Already outdated Overall a good book and a good snapshot of the bourbon world circa 2012. However, with the popularity of bourbon right now, this book is just a snapshot in time. Several of the bourbons that the author reviews are no longer available or supplanted with newer products or are no longer available on the open market. The book also does not cover alot of newer bourbons that are on the shelves these days. One other small nitpick would be that the paper used for the book is a very thick glossy stock. It is similar to what you would find in a really fancy catalog. The problem is that the glossiness and thickness of the paper makes it hard to turn the pages and creases very easily. It makes the book feel a bit cheap and doesn't feel like a real book (if that makes any sense) and more like a catalog or brochure.

Fantastic book, I have read both, this and his book about Scotch. It's a bit outdated, especially since the American Whiskey industry is starting to fade now - it seems to end on a positive note from pre-pandemic times, not even realizing the peak was still to come. It's cool to see the older bottle images of brands that are big right now... Would love to see an updated book or expansion on this!

I have a friend who knows of my interest in the history of American whiskey and keeps teasing me about the bottle of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve Kentucky Bourbon that he is drinking. Before reading Clay Risen's book, I was not clear about his enthusiasm. Now that I have read Risen's entry on that brand, I soon will be knocking, thirsty, at my friend's door. As a collector of books on whiskey, I can attest that he fills a definite knowledge gap by providing entries, a rating and a picture of what one must assume are every bourbon and rye brand in America. It is a highly valuable addition to the works on American spirits. The fact that 25 reviews precede this one and that Amazon is temporarily sold out also says a lot. In the interests of full disclosure, I must reveal that the author, to my complete surprise, recommends my website, pre-prowhiskeymen.blogspot.com. It is most flattering and I am happy to repay the compliment by commending his book as an essential addition to any reference library on whiskey. Jack Sullivan

My husband loves this book. It’s a nice book that you can leave on your coffee table and it looks like decor.

I guess I should have paid more attention to the product description before I ordered. I'm in the early years of my Bourbon affair, so I've had maybe a few dozen different labels and I'm just starting to develop my palate to find and appreciate the more subtle differences and flavors. I saw this book on Amazon while I was searching for some other nick-nacks for my bar. I thought it would be a cool book to leave on the bar for some light browsing, but when it arrived I was pleasantly surprised to see how nice the book is and wound up reading it cover to cover twice already. The dimensions listed in the product description are accurate, but the stock pictures don't really do it justice. This is a beautifully bound hardcover book with pictures of the bottles, excellent reviews, and a great amount of history on the how the craft evolved in our country. I'll attach some pictures to give you a better idea of what I'm saying, but for $11.45 and free prime shipping, I'm tempted to order several more copies for all of my buddies that also appreciate a good pour. This is an excellent book and a great value.

2015年10月に出版された増補改訂版についてのレビューです。 日本でお馴染みの銘柄から入手困難なものまで、バーボン（ライウイスキー、コーンウイスキー、ウィートウイスキー含む）を紹介した百科事典的な一冊。また、新進気鋭の蒸溜所によるクラフトバーボンも取り上げられています。 著者による簡単なテイスティングノートや4点満点の評価も掲載されていますが、あくまでも参考とした方がいいでしょう。やはり自分の舌で実際に味わうのが大切です。とはいえ、日本で入手できるものには限りがあるのが悩ましいところです。 図鑑のようにただ眺めるのもいいですし、米国へ旅行する際の予習に役立てるという使い方もあるでしょう。 装丁はハードカバーとなっており、それなりに質感もありますので、バーの棚に置く小道具にも良いかもしれません。

Got this for my husband. He wanted it last year but the release date kept being put back. He says it's very interesting as he likes to sample his bourbon.

Visto in un negozio di Las Vegas, ho deciso di ordinarlo online per un regalo. Molto gradito dal ricevente. Pratica guida, pratica e comoda da fruire, contenuti confermati da amici appassionati della materia. Ottimo per appassionati di American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye.

Ein sehr gutes Buch um überhaupt erst einmal einen Einblick über die enorme Vielfalt zu bekommen, die es mittlerweile auch beim Amerikanischen Whisk(e)y gibt. Es sind eben nicht nur Jim und Jack, die es gibt und die mehr als 200 Verkostungsnotizen geben einem zumindest einige Anhaltspunkte, in welche Richtung es bei den Abfüllungen geht.

Good whisky book about individual it whisky expressions. Many of which I cannot obtain, but I did gain some good Insight from this book