Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y in Jiggers and Shots
By William M. Dowd

My friend Bill Dowd knows an awful lot about spirits. So, too, do the estimable scribes he's included in Barrels & Drams, an outstanding collection of writing about that most beloved and oft-quaffed fortified liquid, whiskey. Tom Wolfe, David Wondrich, Jim Murray and Daniel Okrent are among the 20-plus essayists included in this fun, conversational ride through the history of bourbon, Scotch and Irish whiskey.

There are profiles of colorful industry icons such as Jack Daniel, John Jameson and the Beams, along with instructive articles on home vatting and distillation. Wondrich's ode to Jerry Thomas, the Father of Modern Mixology, is essential reading for anyone who appreciates a finely crafted cocktail, while "The Case of Capone's Whiskey" by Scottish journalist Jim Leggett is a compelling look at a salvage diver who unearthed one of the Prohibition era's long-lost liquid treasures. In "The Mathematics of Prohibition," Okrent - whose Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition is the definitive account of the 18th Amendment - offers a concise breakdown of the demise of that ghastly statute.

And Dowd's no slouch himself when it comes to spinning a yarn. His essay "From Forest to Flask" tells you everything you need to know about the interaction between wood and new-make whiskey. In it, he solicits expert opinions on the essential role cooperage plays in production from the likes of Glenmorangie master distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden and Bob Russell, who oversees the barrel-making operation at Brown-Forman.

The great Mark Twain famously opined that "Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough." As Dowd has shown here, the same goes for good whiskey stories. Already looking forward to the next edition. But for now...order Barrels & Drams by clicking here

To your health!