boozy books

Bourbon 101

Grab a bourbon and a good book. Here are a few of our favorites.

MAY WE RECOMMEND... BOURBON: THE STORY OF KENTUCKY WHISKEY

Stunning photography and well-researched text are the hallmarks of Clay Risen’s book on bourbon’s history, culture and evolution that includes profiles of distilleries. The boxed set features reproductions of antique bottle labels, distillery maps and historical photos.

Published by Ten Speed Press, the set retails for $100.

Arguably the most comprehensive yet approachable introduction to Kentucky’s worldfamous spirit, award-winning author Albert W.A. Schmid’s Bourbon 101 takes readers through a crash course in all things bourbon.

Beginning with instructions on assembling a tasting kit, Schmid progresses to bourbon terminology, the art and science of its production, the spirit’s rich history, a tasting tutorial, tips on ordering at restaurants and bars, cocktail recipes, food pairings, and information on the Urban Bourbon Trail, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the American Whiskey Trail.

Referencing the college class nature of the book’s title, each chapter or “lesson” ends with a handy quiz.

While Schmid writes that the book is meant to start the reader on a bourbon journey, the richly illustrated Bourbon 101, with a foreword by Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris, delves deeply into each topic covered and provides a bibliography for further reading.

Scheduled for a May 2 release, Bourbon 101 is published by the University Press of Kentucky. The hardcover book retails for $27.95.

BUFFALO, BARRELS, & BOURBON: THE STORY OF HOW BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY BECAME THE WORLD’S MOST AWARDED DISTILLERY

Sprits expert F. Paul Pacult treats readers to a historical journey from where the buffalo once roamed through the mid-19th century beginnings of a distillery to Buffalo Trace’s astounding worldwide success as a premier distiller of spirits.

Published by Wiley, the hardcover edition retails for $26.95.