Detailed and informative look at the history of whiskey or whisky and its dark side with illegal stills, riots and how it is distilled, also looks at the various distillers in Ireland, Scotland and the development in the USA from early days of the Republic to modern day. the development of newer whiskies in Japan and other countries

As someone that loves bourbon but isn’t a fan of history books, I wasn’t sure I would like this book. It was great! There’s a little bit for everyone in it. Some pure history (how taxation influenced rebellions in the UK and the US), to legends, to tasting ideas. This was a great book overall and made it feel super accessible. I recommend it for anyone that enjoys whisky, bourbon, or history.

What a stunning book. It’s a host of things rolled into one and will truly delight the connoisseur, the reader interested in social history, the novice and expert whisky drinker alike. I confess that I’d like to love whisky. Scotland is most of my DNA but it’s taken me some years to understand the complexity of this amber nectar. Now I’m learning more about the joys of single malt and how to taste and savour, I’m keen to learn more and this book is simply perfect.

I love social history so was delighted to find that Gary Dobbs has cleverly brought the story of whisky together with a fascinating and diverse social history. The introductory chapters deal with the drink; brilliant. Well informed and lively, I’ve learned a lot. And the ‘noir’ side really hits the spot. So many stories brought together from all over the world. Who would normally put Twain and Sinatra together in a whisky book? Love the cover, the content and it’s going on my wish list for a hard copy as it deserves a place on my bookshelf, rather than as an ebook. It’s brilliant and would make an excellent gift for any whisky lover.

Dobbs is like a friend who takes you through the history of whisky with all its cobwebs. He starts with the history of whisky, originating in Europe, the United States, and beyond. The book begins with the standard history of whisky and then quickly turns to the scandals and crimes in Europe and beyond. Throughout the book, he inserts quotes from various famous people in history, from Mark Twain to Frank Sinatra. One quote from Mark Twain stood out to me. The author, Mark Twain said, " The true pioneer of civilization is not the newspaper, nor religion, not the railroad but whisky." Pictures of various whisky, bourbon, and scotch brands are inserted throughout the book. This book is an excellent addition to a whisky lover's library as it is not your typical whiskey encyclopedia.

A brilliant education on the history of whiskey, or is it whisky? find out within these pages the strange history of it's name, the long and many years of bootlegging from Ireland and Scotland, to the American prohibition. thousands of years of insanely unfair taxation, the fight to make it, the fight to sell it, and the fight to drink it, and fight they do! from Whisky's effect on pop culture, to the way it tastes, to a band that plays their song to effect the flavor, this book has everything you could ever want to know about the water of life, acqua vitae and how it stamped it's mark on history from buccaneers, to the American revolution and beyond.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Please note this is a 3.5.

I came into this book expecting something perhaps a little more evolved than what this book ended up being. Reasonably short, it picks up on some of the history of whisky and where and when it originated, as well as small chunks of the folklore associated with aspects of it. There is also a guide to some aspects of tasting at the end, which is a nice touch.

I just felt like there was a lot that could have been expanded on in this book, particularly given the title. I suppose I anticipated something more connected to the 'darker' elements of whisky and its creation and life in the zeitgeist. There were segments on crime, and folklore, and on some of the darker things connected to it, but they were reasonably small and not expanded on quite as much as they could have been.

I did, as well, appreciate the tasting notes at the end of the book, and enjoyed the conversational style of the author, I just think I wanted a little more out of this one than what it had.

*Whisky Noir* is not your typical whisky book—it’s a thrilling, dark dive into the mysterious and often bizarre history behind the drink we all love. While it includes the usual tasting notes and distillery info, this book focuses on the weird and spooky side of whisky, featuring stories about cannibals, ghosts, and ghouls, all tied to the amber liquid. Perfect for those who like a twist with their tipple, it’s full of quirky tales and obscure whisky quotes that’ll keep you entertained and provide plenty of conversation starters the next time you're sharing a glass with friends. Cheers to a whole new kind of whisky adventure!

As someone who is trying to learn to love whisky, I found this book fascinating. I spend a lot of time around the product but never truly knew anything about the amber liquid. I will for sure now be blowing friends minds (or boring them) with the new found knowledge. This is such an interesting book!

Very interesting book
Love my whisky and this really helped teach side of my favourite drink that I didn't know
Great gift for Xmas