The Turkish edition of The Mysterious Journey of Whisky was distinguished as the “Best Whisky Book in the World” at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2024.
In these pages, readers will encounter not only the techniques and chemistry of whisky production, but also the regions, styles, and cultural geographies of this most enigmatic spirit. Whisky is examined through the prism of civilisational history, where newly unearthed narratives and previously unseen documents reveal its profound entanglement with the story of humankind itself.
From the earliest traces of fermented beverages to whisky’s intersections with epoch-defining events—the founding of nations, the rise of modern science, and even humanity’s ventures into space—this book follows an extraordinary journey. Along the way, it revisits Arnaldus de Villa Nova’s Liber de Vinis, scrutinises the first aqua vitae prescriptions, and uncovers a novel sensory method whereby whisky tasting is interpreted through musical phrasing.
Why did aqua vitae differ from whisky? Why did whisky remain cloaked in exclusivity for centuries? Such questions are pursued alongside a meditation on the very philosophy of flavour itself. Misconceptions—such as the oft-confused difference between “peaty” and “smoky” whiskies—are here dispelled with both chemical precision and geographical clarity.
Are you ready to embark on The Mysterious Journey of Whisky?
The Turkish edition of The Mysterious Journey of Whisky was distinguished as the “Best Whisky Book in the World” at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2024.
In these pages, readers will encounter not only the techniques and chemistry of whisky production, but also the regions, styles, and cultural geographies of this most enigmatic spirit. Whisky is examined through the prism of civilisational history, where newly unearthed narratives and previously unseen documents reveal its profound entanglement with the story of humankind itself.
From the earliest traces of fermented beverages to whisky’s intersections with epoch-defining events—the founding of nations, the rise of modern science, and even humanity’s ventures into space—this book follows an extraordinary journey. Along the way, it revisits Arnaldus de Villa Nova’s Liber de Vinis, scrutinises the first aqua vitae prescriptions, and uncovers a novel sensory method whereby whisky tasting is interpreted through musical phrasing.
Why did aqua vitae differ from whisky? Why did whisky remain cloaked in exclusivity for centuries? Such questions are pursued alongside a meditation on the very philosophy of flavour itself. Misconceptions—such as the oft-confused difference between “peaty” and “smoky” whiskies—are here dispelled with both chemical precision and geographical clarity.
Are you ready to embark on The Mysterious Journey of Whisky?
