The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide To Becoming A Whiskey Know-It-All

A clever distillation of America’s favorite libation, by the New York Times best-selling authors of The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert

Whiskey fever is sweeping the nation. Every day, craft distilleries are popping up in remote counties and urban centers, offering a wealth of great choices to consumers—and just as many puzzlements. Does the introduction of a simple “e” to go from whisky to whiskey mean anything What’s the difference between Scotch and Rye What’s Canadian whisky anyway And what about the whiskeys of Scotland, Japan, and Ireland Where's a humble Joe to start  In this witty kid-style book on an adult topic, Richard Betts boils down his know-how into twenty pages, cooling our “brown-sweat” anxieties and dividing whiskey into three simple categories: Grain, Wood, and Place. While most whiskey tomes are about as fun as a chemistry lesson, Betts makes the learning slide down easy, reassuring us that this exalted spirit is just distilled beer and, through a nasal romp, helping us figure out which kinds we love best. Humorous illustrations and scratch-and-sniff scents (vanilla, sandalwood, grass, and more) help would-be connoisseurs learn their personal preferences. Language label and Map to Your Desires included.

“"These scratch-and-sniff booze books boil a couple lifetimes' worth of study down to 24 pages...then make them smell good. Genius!" - Tim Ferriss, author, The 4-Hour Workweek ”

“These scratch-and-sniff booze books boil a couple lifetimes’ worth of study down to 24 pages…then make them smell good. Genius!” – Tim Ferriss, author, The 4-Hour Workweek     “My wife is Scottish, so I needed to learn about whiskey – and this was the way!” – Sir Richard Branson, legendary entrepreneur and founder, Virgin Group     “This is really the ultimate ‘hack’ on whiskey. I learned why I should try Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt faster than Google Maps could teach me where the Glorioso Islands are.” – Edward Norton, Oscar-nominated actor —

RICHARD BETTS has been featured in the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Food & Wine, Outside, GQ, and Details, and speaks frequently on wine throughout the country. He is the founder of two wine companies, Betts & Scholl and Scarpetta, which have won top praise from leading wine publications. The founder and president of Sombra Mezcal, he also launched several new wines in 2012, including Saint Glinglin, My Essential Red, and My Essential Rose.

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