Lavish serves for literary ladies, a how-to guide on drinking French fluently and a celebration of cinematic cocktail moments – these are our top spirits books for winter 2016.

Our pick of the latest spirits books published this winter

As the nights get longer and the holiday season looms, what could be better than sitting by the fire with the latest spirit tome?

This season, bar owners dominated the slate of new releases including comprehensive cocktail guides by Jamie Bordreau, the man behind Canon: Whiskey and Bitters Emporium in Seattle, and Brian Silva of Balthazar in London.

Click through to discover our selection of the top new spirits books to hit the shelves this season.

Have you read a new book that deserves a spot in our line-up? Let us know in the comments section below.

Still looking for more suggestions? Check out our autumn 2016 new book selection for other recent spirits publications.

Mixing in the Right Circles by Brian Silva

Balthazar restaurant in London has debuted its first cocktail book, penned by its bar manager and renowned mixologist Brian Silva. The book gives a comprehensive overview of bar equipment, language and measures, not to mention glassware and garnishes, before launching into drinks from Martinis to Margaritas. From after dinner to morning after, all are covered in meticulous detail, with Silva’s voice recounting some of his, or more general, history behind the booze.

Mixing in the Right Circles is available to buy at Balthazar restaurant and Selfridges nationwide from 26 November, priced at £20.

How To Drink French Fluently by Camille Ralph Vidal and Punch Creative

The first cocktail book from French elderflower liqueur St-Germain is the result of a collaboration between St-Germain global ambassador Camille Ralph Vidal and Punch Creative, described as “a passionate ‘Santé!’ to everything in life that feels good”. In addition to cocktail recipes, the book also covers food, beauty, art and music. From brunch serves and afternoon spritzes to aperitifs, food-paired drinks and nightcaps., the book features cocktail recipes spanning all occasions.

How to Drink French Fluently will be published by Punch in December 2016, priced as US$19.99.

A Drink of One’s Own: Cocktails for Literary Ladies by Laura Becherer and Cameo Marlatt

With more than 50 cocktail recipes and literary profiles of the women writers that inspired them, discover the delights of Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir, Zelda Fitzgerald, Angela Carter, Margaret Attwood, Jane Austen, Margeurite Duras and Elfriede Jelinek. Becherer and Marlatt’s book celebrates the very best in women’s writing, with beautiful illustrations of each writers and photography of many of the cocktails.

A Drink of One’s Own: Cocktails for Literary Ladies is available on Amazon UK from 31 December for £7.99.

The Canon Cocktail Book by Jamie Boudreau and James Fraioli

The first book from Boudreau, owner of Seattle bar Canon: Whiskey and Bitters Emporium, which claimed World’s Best Drinks Selection in 2013 and World’s Best Spirits Selection in 2015 at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Boudreau’s cocktail tome offers 100 cocktail recipes ranging from riffs on the classics, like the Cobbler’s Dream and Corpse Reviver, to their line-up of original house drinks, such as the Truffled Old Fashioned and the Banksy Sour. The legendary bartender also offers advice on the opening and running a bar – from business plans to menu creation.

The Canon Cocktail Book is available now on Amazon for US$16.

Drink like a Woman by Jeanette Hurt

In Drink Like a Woman, Hurt shakes up gender stereotypes amongst the bar scene and pours a lively collection of feminist cocktails, basic techniques, classics, hangover cures, drinking games and more. Her guide offers fun tips for the at-home mixologist and exposes the sexist history of cocktail culture, with more than 50 recipes crafted by top women bartenders around the country, including: Anarchy Amaretto Bloody Mary Richards Nelly Bly-Tai The LBD (The Little Black Dress) Ruth’s Pink Taboo WoManhattan Zeldatini The Suffragette Sour Ride, Sally Ride Curie Royale.

Drink Like a Woman is available on Amazon for $15.93.

Cocktails of the Movies by Will Francis and Stacey Marsh

Originally launched last year, Cocktails of the Movies is now available in pocket size so that movie and cocktail lovers can carry this bite-sized guide along with them. The colourful cocktail tome tells the tale of 64 cocktails in their prime cinematic moments through illustrations and easy-to-follow recipes, from Marilyn Monroe’s Manhattan in Some Like It Hot to Raoul Duke’s Singapore Sling in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Cocktails of the Movies is available on Amazon at the price of £9.98.

A Spot at the Bar by Michael Madrusan and Zara Young

From the owner of renowned bar The Everleigh in Melbourne, Madrusan – who co-founded the bar with the late cocktail legend Sasha Petraske – has written a cocktail book that harks back to the “golden era’ of sophisticated drinking, offering an extended version of The Everleigh experience. Not only does it offer 300 recipes for forgotten classic cocktails but also offers a how-to guide to other elements of the social experience with ‘His Style’ and ‘Her Style’ chapters that include functional fashion hints and tips on shoe styles and accessories.

A Spot at the Bar is available from Hardie Grant Publishing for AU$45.00.

The Bar Cart Bible by Adams Media

Ideal for any at-home bartender, The Bar Cart Bible is sure to provide the ultimate tips and how-to guide for those who want to mix up their own serves in the comfort of their homes. The book includes 300+ cocktail recipes, glassware guide, measurement charts, bartending terminology, garnish suggestions and mixology tips, sure to make any reader the perfect host for a cocktail party.

The Bar Cart Bible is available on Amazon from 27 January 2017 for £9.99.