Enjoying Malt Whiskey by Par Caldenby

[Aidan]

I got this the other day, and it's an enjoyable read. It's an enthusiast's guide to malt whisky.

Goes through each distillery, as well as the different production methods etc...[/i]

[Alec]

Hey Aiden - I can't see it on amazon, have you got an ISDN number?

[Bullie]

It's available at Royal Mile Whiskies webpage.

You'll find it here :http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/category.asp?cat_id=S_BOOK

[Aidan]

Hi Alec

It's available at Royal Mile Whiskies, I believe. The ISBN is 91-631-8116-9.

[Lawrence]

Also available at Loch Fyne Whiskies...

[Alec]

Cheers geezers, and sorry for spelling your name wrong Aidan!

[Aidan]

Cheers geezers, and sorry for spelling your name wrong Aidan!

No problem Alec - my day-to-day name is John anyway!

[Alec]

Ah! Is Is John anglicised version of Aidan?

[Aidan]

No, Eoin is the Irish version of John, although it's also given as Sean sometimes. Aidan is my second name, and people used to call me Aidan to distinguish me from my father...

[Par]

Thanks for the nice words, Aidan - glad you enjoyed the book!

The ISBN is given above, but as this is a specialized book with a limited print run (you'd be surprised to see the cost of printing a book!), it will never be available at Amazon, but only be spread through whisky specialist outlets such as Loch Fyne Whiskies, Royal Mile Whiskies and a couple of distilleries, currently at Bladnoch and Bruichladdich and with a few more to follow soon, I hope. Or direct from myself.

Some nice press given about it too, from quite a few different sources and lately in Fine Expressions, issue 7 (page 82).

Any input on the book is welcome too, btw.

Cheers

[Aidan]

Hi Par

Welcome to the website. I got my edition of the book directly from you, via Bladnoch (JohnM).


Anyway, again I'd recommend the book, especially if you're interested in detail.

[Lawrence]

Hi Par, I picked up my copy through LFW, very nice, well done,

Lawrence

[Par]

John (M),

As you had got the book very early on and was located in Dublin, I figured it would be you.

Lawrence,

Last I heard, LFW has sold quite a few copies and wherever copies are bought, it will be most pleasing. Some sales will be a pre-requisite for a second edition, although this is nothing one does for profit!

BTW, the marketing strategy is simple: if Enjoying Malt Whisky is good enough, the word will spread and people will find the places where to get it!

Cheers!

[Par]

Should also say that Enjoying Malt Whisky will be available at the Ben Nevis distillery shop within a week or so. Handy to know if you're going around the Western Highlands this summer. They've also just released a new 13 yo port finish that might be interesting to try.

[Lawrence]

Thanks Par, I'll be visiting Ben Nevis this summer, in August, and will keep an eye open for the new Ben Nevis. I'll point your book out to my travelling companions.

Lawrence

[Lawrence]

Thanks Par, I'll be visiting Ben Nevis this summer, in August, and will keep an eye open for the new Ben Nevis. I'll point your book out to my travelling companions.

Lawrence

[Deactivated Member]

I hear tell that there's a new flashy updated edition out. Anyone got it ?

[Willie JJ]

I hear tell that there's a new flashy updated edition out. Anyone got it ?

They were discussing it on the Spirit of Islay chatroom before I arrived last night so some folks obviously have it. I don't yet but, will try to pick up a copy this weekend. There has been some discussion of it over on the Bladnoch forum, because Par is a regular poster there.

[Di Blasi]

Sounds like more fine whisky reading material I must get, thanks for the suggestion Aidan, and looking forward to it Par!

[Deactivated Member]

Got the updated second edition in November from Royal Mile Whiskies.

It's one of my favourite whisky books ever.

An extremely detailed, but easy to read, section on the whisky making process. I've learned loads from what I've read of this section so far.

Then, all the usual - sections on publications, visiting distilleries, organising tastings.

And, of course, a big distillery section - background on each location, scored (realistically) tasting notes on certain bottlings, etc. I'm still working through the distillery notes at four pages a night.

Finally, one thing that I really like (although others will doubtless consider it dangerous generalisation). That is an explanation of each distillery's "house style".

Not heaving with pictures. But those that there are are top notch. Love the "Angel's Share - a somewhat scantily clad female angel atop some casks.

Well done Par. This revised edition is top notch.

[jmrl]

Not long finished this one. Great to read a new book which contains new bits of info. The author seems to have first hand knowledge of all the Scottish distilleries. If he hasn't visited them he writes of them with an appealing intimacy regarding their personalities. I've seen the 'first refill' up at RMW but haven't had a good enough look to see if there is a significant addition to the substance. The new photos bring a nice splash of colour..I'll probably get it anyway being a hopeless whisky bibliophile. buy the way how ling do you think it would take the write such a detailed text? Is he a part time lawyer or do they just do short shifts?

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Yes I concur well worth your money if you want an honest and different opinion on the whisky industry ....

Well done PAr

[Par]

Thanks Eelbrook, Di Blasi (Jonathan?), IWC and others;

It is always nice to get some confirmation that a lot of work has produced some pleasing results/reactions. Very comforting.

And I do have to confirm that it is not always easy to get hold of information outside the general trodden path of marketing - from some quarters in particular - but there are those that are most helpful indeed. Notably the independent distilleries and small groups (including Wm Grants, as they have few distilleries in their group!).

The photo of the scantily clad angeline is however a download courtesy of West Coast Whisky and Bruichladdich. Wish I had taken the pic myself, but no. Most of the others are my own, or my wife's, though.

About the distillery "house style", this is of course not easily detailed, for all distilleries. But it can be helpful, as there will always be bottlings from any individual distillery, where there may not be any tasting notes available (not counting the marketing department's drible on the labels etc). It can then be helpful as an indication of what might be expected to turn up out of the bottle. And one should never be afraid of telling the story as it is; although there have been a few very negative comments when this has been done (most notably from the CEO of a proliferous whisky specialist franchise). Most folks accept that one is entitled to one's opinion though, even when it doesn't go in their favour.

Part time lawyer? Not quite... But when there is an interest, time can be found! I was helped by the fact that my profession has enabled me both to organise plentiful information and to write fast and quite correctly. That, and my Year 11 teacher in "Business Studies" at Nelson Bay High School in Australia, 1988...which is where I actually learned to type rather well, as an exchange student! No, the time it has taken to write the book was not insignificant. But a lot of the information had been gathering up over more than a decade before I begun, so it was more a matter of organising what I had and then to identify and fill the gaps, where possible, creating some new contacts along the way. But I would not quit my day job; to put it in plain text, I'm happy to avoid a loss from this venture, at some point...

Any further thoughts on the EMW and info on things whisky are of course very welcome.

Slàinthe! / Pär