Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch

by Michael Jackson and Gavin D. (CON) William C. (CON) Jackson, Michael/ Roskrow, Dominic (CON)/ Smith

Book Overview

"Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch," the landmark best-selling malt whiskey companion by the late Michael Jackson, doyen of whiskey writers, has been comprehensively updated by a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0756658985
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: DK
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 1.1" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

Classic work

The discovery by Americans of single-malt whisky back in the 80's and 90's was one of the most interesting stories in the food and beverage market ever. This event by itself probably prevented a number of distilleries from closing, and several, such as the great Ardbeg, which had been moth-balled, were perhaps reopened as a result.Some great but lesser known malts, like Edradour, found new appreciation for their tiny output abroad. Edradour, for example, produces less in a year than some distilleries do in a week, like Tomatin (the Edradour distillery only has 3 employees and only makes 2 barrels a week). Others, such as the Islays like Lagavulin, Laphroaig, and Bowmore, and even the oddly dual-natured Caol Isla, with its both sweetish and phenolic character, were already known in Scotland but garnered new fans here in America. As in Scotland, the Islays are not to everybody's taste, but I know people here who will hardly touch a drop of anything else--an amazing testament to the enthusiasm that has developed in America even for the stronger and more exotic malts. And probably no book did more to make that happen than Jackson's great little books on single-malt scotch.On a personal note, sometimes even the Scots themselves failed to appreciate how far American sensibilities had come with respect to single malts. I had the experience 20 years ago, when still a young man, of sitting in a bar at the south end of Loch Lommond, and having a well-meaning bartender refuse to serve me some Laphroaig. He insisted on giving me Royal Brackla from an old bottle, itself a great malt. But he thought this young American didn't know what he was asking for, and I think he was worried he might do in a perfectly good, paying customer with a draught of the pungent, phenolic, peaty, and iodine-tasking Laphroaig.These books taught me a lot and I have all 3 editions. They're great for learning to appreciate the particular aspects and flavors of a malt, and as I've been tasting single-malts for 20 years, I've found Mr. Jackson's descriptions to be very accurate and informative. In many cases, after learning from his description, I was able to go on and detect things that weren't even in the book--a great testament to his skill as a teacher and writer. Without his guidance, I wouldn't have been able to educate my sense of taste nearly as expertly.There is no better way to learn about single malts than to take samples of several malts and then taste and compare them using this book. After you're tasted a couple of dozen malts you should be able to get a good sense of what's going on and be able to go on from there.A good way to do this is to pick a couple of classic malts from each category, say a couple of lowlands, a couple of highlands or Speysides, and a couple of Islays, and taste them alongside each other with this book. Some of the malts are just so unique or special that they deserve tasting by themselves--as in the case of Clynelish and Highland Park, or Caol Isl

So Many Scotches, So Little Time

As a novice Scotch drinker, I often found myself in the local liquor store standing in front of the whisky displays feeling a little like Sir Edmund Hillary before Everest- wondering just where to start. Scotch, like wine or music, is an incredibly personal thing, and there are numerous brands to appeal to a wide array of palates. By my ignorance hasn't cost me, because I tend to buy what I already know I like rather than risk forty of fifty dollars on a malt that I won't like. So, rather than risk money on a malt that will just sit on the shelf, I tend to only buy various Glenmorragie, Glenfiddich, etc. In restaurants I always seem to be stuck with the 12 year old Glenlivet, since liquor barons Seagrams seems to have control of every restaurant's alcohol supply. And while on a day trip to Stillwater, Minnesota we ate a restaurant that had an impressive list of Scotches, (I consider any more than 3 or 4 types impressive), and I tried a 15 year old Glenkeith that amazed me.It finally dawned on me that after nearly a year of conservative tasting, i.e. not going beyond what I have listed above, that perhaps I need an expert opinion. Michael Jackson's "Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotches" seems to fit the bill nicely. Inside are personal reviews of over 800 Scotches from Scotland and Ireland, plus a brief history of Scotch is discussed. To my chagrin, Jackson seems to have taste for peatier Islay malts like Laphroaig and Talisker, malts that I have yet to mature enough to enjoy. He does give high marks to what I already drink, with the Glenmorangies scoring in the 80's on a scale of 100. The Scotches he seems to most enjoy are those bottled by the MaCallan in the Speyside region. And again the MaCallan's seem to have an abundance of peat.Overall, though, the book is marvelous. Well illustrated with clear photographs of lables to give a reader some idea of what they can look for in a store when making a purchase. His descriptions of Nose, Body, Palate and Finish are clear and concise enough that even a novice drinker like me can understand the meanings, especially when it came to what I already drink. Scotch seems to have become trendy again, and I'd like to think that I am not following that trend, because as so many people have told me, drink what I like rather than what everyone else tells you to. So I plan to start experimenting, with the "Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotches", I have a better direction. And maybe in time I will come to like Islay malts. Time will tell.

Going To The Candy Store?

Do not, repeat, do not, go to a well stocked liquor store in search of single malt scotch without this book. I've been a follower of Michael Jackson for some time now in the beer world. When I decided to branch out into single malts my wife ordered me this book and I've found it invaluable. If you are familiar with Mr. Jackson's work in the beer world, this book is the equivalent of his pocket guide to beer. Read it, put it in your car and take it with you to the liquor store like a good friend, and, like a good friend, it will give you good advice and never desert you. If you already have a few single malts, read the reviews and see what Mr. Jackson says about them. Take that information and you'll be able to find other winners, guaranteed. I've found that my single malts must be aged as close to the sea as possible. I appreciate the highland malts but the sea is me. Where do your favorite malts come from? Read the book, live it and see.

I love this book!

If you love single malt whisky, you'll love this book. As a single malt lover, I use this book as a guide to explore the world of single malt whisky. Since I am stiil young and poor, it's not possible to taist too much whisky. You have to make a purchasing list for yourself. I am very happy to find out that this books can help me make the decision. I am not saying the point is everything. If you beleve your own taist, you do not have to agree with the author's comment. However, it's a way to build your own guide step by step. Until now, I have tried about 10 brands with about 30 different ages scotch. It's really an interesting world.

A compact, yet suprisingly complete guide to scotch whisky

Mr. Jackson has arranged a concise and easy to use encyclopedia for scotch whisky. The inclusion of over 300 malts has made it difficult for me to find a bottle that he has not listed, tasted, and graded. However; I derive the most pleasure from his descriptions of the hamlets, towns and hollows that surround the distilleries. A brief description of the malting process, and some history of scotch whisky, make this a good starting point for a novice taster. I am dismayed to see that it is out of print as I have found it to be a fine gift that has been appreciated by friends.