Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and Its Whiskies | Andrew Jefford

Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and Its Whiskies | Andrew Jefford | Islay Bible

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Peat Smoke and Spi...

	Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and Its Whiskies Andrew Jefford Headline Book Publishing, 2005 - 416 pages average customer review:based on 2 reviews view larger image
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Despite its tiny size, seven different whisky distilleries populate the Isle of Islay, where some of the wildest and most flavorful hops in the malt-whisky spectrum are grown. Scotland?s renowned island is uncovered in this fascinating account, including its rich history?chock-full of stories of shipwrecks and storms?and its luscious wildlife and landscape. Interwoven in the narrative are tales of the whiskies themselves, traced from a distant past of illegal stills to their present-day prosperity. The flavor of each spirit is analyzed and the differences between them teased out, as are the stories of the notable men and women who played an integral part in their creation. Wonderfully evocative, this is the story of a place and a taste never to be forgotten once sampled.

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Captures the true spirit of the Hebrides

If you want a taste of the Western Isles of Scotland then there is no better book than Peak Smoke and Spirit. Andrew Jefford has distilled a lot of history into these chapters, capping off each chapter with a tour of one of the seven remaining Islay distilleries, among them Lagavulin and Laphroaig. You don't necessarily need to know the Islay whiskies to appreciate this book, but it helps. Jefford invites his readers to have a dram of each of the whiskies in reading the chapters, as he taunts you with the many aromas produced by these fine single malts as they are drawn from their oak casks. In the tradition of great Scottish writers like Neil Ascherson and Edwin Muir, Jefford takes in the terrain of the island as well as its history, following rivers along their courses to the distilleries and noting the flora and fauna along the way, so that you get a sense of the origins of these famous malted whiskies. He describes the processes in the distilleries in easy to follow terms, along with illustrations to distinguish between the types of vats employed. It was interesting to me that these distilleries were rather small operations, keeping their long standing traditions alive despite the numerous ownership changes over the years. Jefford notes that it was often difficult to get the distilleries to divulge their "secrets," despite it being virtually impossible to replicate these tastes even if you knew all that went into these whiskies, which is why these distilleries have all struggled over the years to maintain their markets. Jefford also describes the various clan battles over the centuries for control of the islands, and how the Hebrides were virtually a nation of islands onto itself at one point, forming a bridge between Irish and Scottish Gaelic culture.

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Islay Bible

This book is about the Scottish (Inner Hebrides) island of Islay and it's famous peated whisky. In sixteen chapters, the author pays attention and tribute to each of the seven distilleries, alternated by typical Islay topics such as history, nature, weather and even shipwrecks.

If you're into Islay whiskies you have to like this book, there's no other way. The book was written by one either, and it shows. Hence it's easy to forgive the vocabulary, which isn't exactly simplified English at times, but then again whisky is no simplified drink either. And yes, the best way to get into the book is with a dram (or two) by your side. If you were ever looking for a comprehensive read about Islay and its whiskies, this is it.

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