Charles Maclean Books

Individual distilleries give their whiskies unique characteristics. These characteristics do not arise magically (as was once thought), nor are they the result of terroir or region (as is still thought, by some). They have their roots in the craft and custom of the distillery and of the district in which it is located, but the key influences upon flavour are the distilling equipment itself, how it is operated and how the spirit is matured. For the first time, "MacLean's Whiskypedia" explores the flavour and character of every malt whisky distilled in Scotland with reference to how it is made.In this title, introductory sections explain the contribution made by each stage of production and maturation, to elucidate the detailed notes about how malt whisky is made at each distillery. The distillery entries also provide historical notes and quirky facts. Malt whisky is the quintessential 'spirit of place', and this element of the story has been captured by John Macpherson's camera in specially commissioned images which compliment the text.This is a wholly new approach to understanding and enjoying Scotch malt whisky, by the foremost authority on the subject in collaboration with one of Scotland's leading photographers.

The original large format edition of Spirit of Place, exploring the fifty greatest distilleries in Scotland.

Whiskypedia is the essential handbook for all whisky lovers and contains everything you need to know to become a connessieur, from understanding the label to regional differences. This edition has been fully revised and updated with new entries on all the latest distilleries.

Portable sized edition of the award-winning ""Malt Whisky"," from Charles MacLean, a world authority on the subject of malt whisky. This edition is produced in a smaller format than the original "Malt Whisky" to allow the whisky enthusiast to carry it as a portable companion for reference when buying, tasting, or visiting distilleries. Full color maps locate the key distilleries, while over 150 photographs capture the essence of the spirit and how it is made. Charles MacLean describes how to appreciate and get the most out of tasting malt whisky, and a detailed A-Z directory features all of Scotland's key distilleries and their whiskies with full color labels. Also included are tips on buying malt whisky, as well as a guide to distillery visitor facilities and the best whisky societies and websites. This book offers all the information any malt lover could ever need to appreciate this magical spirit to the full.

It may be Europe's last great wilderness, but Scotland is an ancient civilization with a unique culture. It was, perhaps, Sir Walter Scott who managed to rewrite Scotland's history, not as the brutal affair it was, but as a heroic dramatic pageant, encouraging the birth of an enlightened, forward-looking Scotland at ease with its tumultuous past. This book is a photographic tribute to the glory of the country and its people.

This guide serves up all you need to enjoy whisky - or whiskey - from the single malts, blends of Scotland to the acclaimed Irish, North American and Asian counterparts.

It's the news every parent dreads: Ed Lister's world changes forever the day he hears his art-student daughter has been brutally murdered in Florence. A year later, frustrated with the police inquiry, Ed vows to find Sophie's killer. His quest leads to a mysterious website - and its owner, Ward, a charming, brilliant psychopath. But as the search for Ward follows a trail of bodies across Europe to America, some of Ed's own secrets begin to emerge. And the question arises: is Ed the hunter, or the hunted?

Martin Gregory, a junior executive, leads an orderly, conventional like, has an orderly, conventional marriage, and returns home at the usual time one evening to celebrate, in an orderly quiet way, his wife's birthday -- only to commit an atrocity so gruesome and extraordinary that it baffles everyone, including Gregory himself. Gradually, under the influence of a psychiatrist brought in to find some explanation for his behavior, Gregory is drawn into the deepest recesses of his own mind, where a tangled, epic, and deadly conflict is taking place between the ordinary present and a mythic past. It is a dark world of battles and legends and ghostly drama that is as compelling as anything in Tolkien, and far more frightening; a world more real to Gregory than the present, reaching out across unimaginable gulfs of time and memory. As the layers of his personality are peeled back, the reader follows Gregory on an extraordinary search for the truth about his past -- a search that draws him through an intricate web of terror, guilt, and exotic intrigue into a desperate struggle for his own survival, even to the brink of madness.

Leading international writers on beer and whisky have joined together in a unique project to celebrate the enduring legacy of celebrated drinks writer Michael Jackson (65), who died in August 2007 having suffered from Parkinson s disease for over a decade. They have each donated a piece of new writing to Beer Hunter, Whisky Chaser, launched on March 27, 2009 to mark Jackson s birth date. All proceeds from the publication, which was supported by leading single malt whisky The Glenlivet, will be donated to the Parkinson s Disease Society of the UK. Editor Ian Buxton, who conceived the project, said Michael Jackson dominated the world of both beer and whisky writing for two decades and was hugely influential in both real ale and single malt whisky. A complete generation of writers has cause to be grateful to him, not to mention countless brewers and distillers. This new book honours that legacy. He concludes: If variety is what you celebrate in your choice of whisky or beer, then this is truly a joyous and eclectic celebration of a life well-lived. We have sought to honour Michael with words, fresh and new writing on beer and whisky that he would have enjoyed reading; that he would have respected; that he might even have wished to have written himself. The collaborators represent a roll of honor from drinks writing: (in alphabetical order) Stephen Beaumont, Dave Broom, Ian Buxton, John Hansell, Julie Johnson, Charles MacLean, Hans Offringa, F Paul Pacult, Roger Protz, Lucy Saunders, Conrad Seidl, Carolyn Smagalski and Gavin D Smith.