By Richard Thomas Although there are more books being published about whisk(e)y now that ever before, few, if any, fall outside the non-fiction category. Whiskey drinking might figure prominently in modern popular fiction, but unless you count the reality TV series Moonshiners, making whiskey isn’t the main subject of the story. “The distillery novel?” I hear you ask, “What is ...

By Richard Thomas If you enjoy watching documentaries about the Middle Ages or ancient military history, you probably recognize Mike Loades. It follows that someone who presents and provides commentary in such television programs would also be an author (Swords and Swordsmen and The Longbow), but Loades is also a fight choreographer and consultant. His fingerprints are on all manner ...

How Murray’s Tome Became More About Courting Controversy Than Highlighting Worthy Whiskeys By Richard Thomas Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2016 has been released, and the only thing more reliable for spawning strife in whiskey circles and splaying it onto mainstream headlines is the annual announcement from Buffalo Trace that they are short on stock and continuing to ration it. This ...

By Kurt Maitland Making a long story short, I ran into Reid Mitenbuler at a tasting. I’ve seen his work before and dove into his book right after. For me, it’s one of the best books on American whiskey that I’ve had the pleasure to read this year. I had to catch up with Reid to bombard him with questions ...

By Richard Thomas When it comes to Scotch whisky experts, they don’t come as august or as understated as Charles MacLean. His list of honors and accomplishments is a long one, including being named as a Keeper of the Quaich in 1992 and then elevated to Master of the Quaich in 2009. Most are familiar with him from his playing ...