The Complete Book of Spirits: A Guide to Their History, Production, and Enjoyment

Many bartending guides provide scant information about drink ingredients themselves. So a Mai Tai calls for rum--what kind? If you're mixing a Vodka Tonic, how should the vodka smell? Why does a Bombay Sling require bitters? (And what are bitters, anyway?) Blue, who is Bon Appetit's wine and spirits editor, intelligently answers these questions and others in this full analysis of libations other than beer and wine. He covers vodka, aquavit, gin, rum, tequila, scotch and Irish whiskey, North American whiskey, brandy, liqueurs and bitters, addressing what each spirit is made of, how it's made, its history, the various flavors that exist and even the numerous brands available. Blue's historical outlines of each spirit are fascinating; for example, in the chapter on vodka, he tells the saga of the Smirnov (later changed to Smirnoff) family and their exile from Russia to Paris. But with the history comes up-to-the-minute information on popular beverages like the mojito, a rum drink that's currently ""one of the hottest drinks on the club scene."" Although the guide isn't lighthearted, it's casual enough to inspire page-flipping and informal perusal.