The 10 must-read spirit and cocktail books

Seeking to broaden your knowledge of the ever fascinating world of spirits? Then one of these must-read spirit or cocktail education books might be for you.

Find out which are the 10 must-read spirit and cocktail books

From comprehensive texts on Scotch whisky distillation, to modern-day musings on cocktail culture – there is a plethora of literature available to quench the spirits enthusiast’s thirst for knowledge.

As more consumers become interested in the fine details of food and drink and their impact on wider society, drinks experts are seeking to target their work towards a wider audience.

However, spirits aficionados and bartenders who want specific details about their favoured category will also discover an array of both niche and encyclopaedic texts at their disposal.

Here’s our personal selection of the 10 must-read spirit and cocktail books.

Think we’ve missed an essential reference book or guide? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The World Atlas of Whisky, by Dave Broom

The World Atlas of Whisky by renowned drinks writer and orator Dave Broom is largely viewed as one of the definitive guides to whisky for both the spirits and connoisseur and uninitiated alike.

With extensive coverage of the Japanese, Irish, Canadian, American and, of course, Scotch whisky sectors, The World of Whisky Atlas is the one-stop guide dedicated to all things dram.

The book also contains detailed maps of key distilleries, as well as tasting notes of over 300 expressions.

RRP £19.50

The Savoy Cocktail Book

First launched in 1930, The Savoy Cocktail Book has become inextricably linked with a sophisticated and gentile high end cocktail culture.

As the birthplace of some of the most famous cocktails enjoyed across the globe, London hotel and bar The Savoy was a safe haven for many wealthy travelling Americans seeking respite from US prohibition.

The original version of The Savoy Cocktail Book therefore features a number of cocktails which sprang from the era, and which are experiencing a renaissance of late. Currently in its seventh edition, the text now features 750 original recipes and a number of new cocktails.

The 1930 version reads: “Being in the main a complete compendium of Cocktails, Rickeys, Daises, Slings, Shrubs, Smashes, Fizzes, Juleps, Cobblers, Fixes and other Drinks, known and vastly appreciated in this year of grace 1930, with sundry notes of amusement and interest concerning them, together with subtle Observations of Wines and their special occasions.

RRP £12.99 

Cognac, by Nicholas Faith

One of Cognac’s top authorities, Nicholas Faith recently released a fully updated version of Cognac – a seminal work on the history, production and trends of this esteemed brandy category.

Faith leaves no stone unturned, detailing the history of the region and development of its eponymous product, while also examining the minutiae of vineyard quality, distillation, barrel ageing and blending.

The book then considers the modern day dilemma of Cognac – that is, supplying enough old liquid to meet demand – as well as its position in contemporary culture, citing rap lyrics and charting its use in cocktails.

For the enthusiastic Cognac fan, Faith lists the most distinctive examples on the market, including a number of his personal favourites.

RRP £30

Malt Whisky: The Complete Guide, by Charles MacLean

Described as the “ultimate guide to Scotch whisky” and one of the most authoritative pieces of literature on the subject, Malt Whisky by “whisky guru” Charles Maclean was first released in 1997 in six different languages.

A comprehensive guide to the Scotch whisky industry – looking at all aspects of business and production from Speyside to Islay, Highland to Lowland – this text is no mere coffee table addition.

A fully revised edition was launched in April 2011 as a smaller, more portable book featuring coloured distillery maps, an extensive selection of photographs and an A-Z distillery listings.

According to The Independent: “Charles MacLean writes like no other expert on the subject. His prose is informed and highly entertaining.”

RRP £12.99

Vodka Politics: Alcohol, Autocracy, and the Secret History of the Russian State, by Mark Schrad

For those interested in extending their vodka knowledge beyond the details of distillation methods, this text which charts how Russia’s vodka consumption moulds its political and social landscape is ideal.

Only launched last month, Vodka Politics offers a fascinating and comprehensive commentary on the “enormous-and enormously destructive” role vodka has played in Russian lives.

Schard looks at the complex way Russia’s staple spirit infiltrates a plethora of seemingly unrelated categories and, in particular, looks at how it has been used as a tool for power by the country’s rulers and inextricably tied to its autocratic systems.

RRP £22.99 

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2014

Jim Murray’s annual Whisky Bible contains about 4,500 detailed, professionally analysed and easy to understand tasting notes on the world’s leading and lesser known whiskies.

Ten years after it first edition was released, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2014 contains 1,100 new entries.

A nod from the book can result in huge successes for brands, as Glenmorangie discovered when its Ealanta expression was named the “world’s best whisky” by Murray in the most recent Whisky Bible edition after he scored the Scotch 97.5 points out of 100 for giving “an aroma and taste profile completely new to me (Murray) in over 30 years of tasting whisky”.

RRP £12.99

Rum, by Dave Broom

Spirits expert Dave Broom makes another appearance on our list with his definitive guide on all things rum.

Broom charts the chequered history of this sugar cane spirit, examining how it has continued to slowly shed its low rent image in gain in prestige across the world – from the slave-run plantations in the Caribbean, to the crystal glasses of sophisticated cocktail sippers in the 21st century.

He also looks at the intricacies of identifying rum by the island or country, illuminating how climate and production techniques determine style and flavour.

Rum also lists a plethora of blended and spiced rums on the market and offers the reader detailed instructions on how to get the most out of their rum-drinking experience.

RRP £21

A Bar-tenders’ Guide, by Jerry Thomas

Anyone interested in the origins of modern mixology is sure to have heard of Jerry Thomas’ seminal text on cocktails, A Bar-tenders Guide, which was first released over 150 years ago in 1862.

Considered the ‘father of American mixology’, Thomas was one of the first bartenders to exhibit theatre in his craft and explore the medium of mixed drinks in all their forms.

The first edition of A Bar-tender’s Guide included recipes for cocktails such as the Fizz, Flip, Sour and Punch and was updated several times throughout Thomas’s lifetime.

RRP £15

The Book of Gin, by Richard Barnett

With a full title of The Book of Gin: A Spirited World History from Alchemists’ Stills and Colonial Outposts to Gin Palaces, Bathtub Gin, and Artisanal Cocktails, this book offers readers an insight into the fascinating gin category which is nothing short of comprehensive.

From its debauched reputation of the 19th century “gin craze”, to its elegant cocktail and craft connotations in today’s marketplace, the history and production of gin is explored by revered historian Richard Barnett with a fine tooth comb.

Described by Amazon as a “wide-ranging, impeccably researched, and packed with illuminating stories”, The Book of Gin is an interesting and indispensible history of one of the world’s most complex spirits.

RRP £14.50

Drinks, by Tony Conigliaro

Famed cocktail maverick Tony Conigliaro, of “the bar with no name”, London’s 69 Colebrook Row, released a key work on modern mixology in 2012, the full title of which is Drinks: Unravelling the Mysteries of the Flavour and Aroma in Drinks.

As its title suggests, this text provides both professional bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts alike an insightful look at how to create cocktails which offer a complete sensory experience.

Each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful photograph while the text also covers techniques, recommended equipment, glassware and garnishes.

RRP £25