A Passion for Whisky: How the Tiny Scottish Island of Islay Creates Malts that Captivate the World (Hardback) - Ian Wisniewski

An addition to Mitchell Beazley's successful whisky-themed publishing, this is a must-have guide to the world-famous whiskies of Islay, explaining what makes them so special and profiling the growing number of talented distilleries.

Selected as one of Waterstones Best Books of 2023: Food & Drink and for Forbes's Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Whisky Books That Whisky Lovers Will Actually Read

'Ian Wisniewski is one of our foremost drinks writers. At once affectionate, knowledgeable and entertaining, this engaging book is essential reading for any fans of Islay whisky.' - Charles MacLean

'If there was one whiskey book to read on a crisp evening with your dram of choice and a small fire providing modest warmth, this is most certainly a worthy choice. Delightful from cover to cover and an excellent gift for the whisky lover in your life who enjoys a good book.' Drinkhacker

The Scottish island of Islay produces some of the world's most revered malt whiskies, and is described by the New York Times as the equivalent of Bordeaux for wine lovers. In A Passion for Whisky Ian Wisniewski explores the unique combination of tradition, innovation, climate and location, which create such superlative examples of Scotch whisky, accompanied by specially commissioned illustrations by Melvyn Evans.

Individual profiles of Islay's 13 distilleries include tasting notes for selected malts that illustrate the incredible range of peated styles produced, together with a section on tasting techniques, making this an indispensable guide for Scotch whisky lovers.

'A must-read for anyone who has fallen in love with single malt Scotch whisky, and the perfect postcard for this peaty spirit from the most magical of Scottish islands.' Club Oenologique

About the Author

Ian Wisniewski is a food, drink and travel writer and broadcaster, specializing in spirits, particularly whisky and especially Scotch whisky. He is the author of three books on whisky, including Classic Malt Whisky, and contributes to various publications including Whisky Magazine, Whisky Quarterly and Malt Whisky Yearbook, and was a contributor to Michael Jackson's encyclopedic book, Whisky. He conducts tutored tastings and classes on whisky, and visits distilleries on a regular basis to learn more about the production process, which is one of his favourite subjects. He is a Master of the Quaich, the highest honour bestowed by the Keepers of the Quaich, Scotland's premier whisky society.