With their assertive flavors and rich colors, dark spirits have long been revered by connoisseurs. Now, they are experiencing a surge in popularity that has brought them to the attention of a wide audience, including women and the young, cocktail enthusiasts. A.J. Rathbun, author of the IACP award-winning Good Spirits, presents 200 recipes that use whiskey (Scotch, bourbon, rye), brandy (Cognac, Armagnac), and dark rum as their bases. With creations such as the Sweet Louise, the Dark and Stormy, and the Rum Rascal, and with beautifully illustrated with color photographs throughout, it's a lively, engaging read.
Dark Spirits
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Dear Vodka: Your days are numbered. It's been a good run. Now make room for rum, whiskey, bourbon, and rye. A.J. Rathbun's got your number. --The Boston Chapter of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC Boston)
In an era when countless glasses are burdened with mixtures that are light, bright, and bland, Rathbun fearlessly brings drinkers and their cocktail shakers over to the dark side. This whiskey- (and brandy- and rum-) fueled ride is witty, enlightening, and altogether delicious. --Paul Clarke, Imbibe contributing editor and proprietor of CocktailChronicles.com
In an era when countless glasses are burdened with mixtures that are light, bright, and bland, Rathbun fearlessly brings drinkers and their cocktail shakers over to the dark side. This whiskey- (and brandy- and rum-) fueled ride is witty, enlightening, and altogether delicious. --Paul Clarke, Imbibe contributing editor and proprietor of CocktailChronicles.com
About the Author
A.J. Rathbun is a food and entertaining writer and poet and the author of Dark Spirits, Wine Cocktails, Luscious Liqueurs, Party Snacks!, Party Drinks!, and the IACP Award-winning Good Spirits. In addition to his cookbooks, Rathbun is the author of Want, a collection of poems. He lives in Seattle, Washington. To learn more, visit Rathbun's website at ajrathbun.com and drink up his blog Spiked Punch (it's lonely, and needs attention).
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More About the Author
A.J. Rathbun is a food and entertaining writer and poet and the author of Champagne Cocktails, Dark Spirits, Wine Cocktails, Luscious Liqueurs, Party Snacks!, Party Drinks!, the IACP Award-winning Good Spirits, Double Take (in collaboration with chef Jeremy Holt), and editor and contributor for In Their Cups. In addition to his cocktail books and cookbooks, Rathbun is the author of Want, a collection of poems. He lives in Seattle, Washington. To learn more, visit Rathbun's website at www.ajrathbun.com and drink up his blog Spiked Punch (it's lonely, and needs attention).
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
If you are in the mood for an adult beverage A.J. Rathbun has 200 offerings for your consideration. Dark Spirits focuses on the brown liquors (Whiskey, Rum, Scotch, Bourbon, Rye and the like). It is a visually attractive book that encourages its reader to pull out a cocktail shaker and experience the drink after seeing the recipe and accompanying photo. Previous reviews have noted that the recipes are not sorted by specific liquor but Rathbun notes that he intentionally organized the recipes into "thematic chapters" including Dark Classics (familiar standbys including Hot Toddys and Sidecars), Powerful Punches (party favorites including Honolulu Punch and Old Fashions) and Hot Stuff (warm drinks for cold nights including Hot Brick and Irish Coffee) to name a few. If you feel more comfortable looking up the drink recipe by liquor, there is a liquor specific index in the back of the book prior to the general index. Rathbun provides a great amount of information in an approachable/conversational presentation. From bar tools to garnishes to highlights of specific liquors, Rathbun includes beneficial information for his readers. I found the recipes were easy to follow and included many ingredients I already have in my home. This is a great cocktail book to add to your library.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By AndreaLeigh
Format:Hardcover
Dark spirit-lovers unite! I'm a rum gal myself, and was pleased as punch to find a book that focused on the darker drinks. A.J. Rathbun delights once again (and here I thought Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist was un-toppable) with delicious recipes, fun historical references, hilarious personal anecdotes, and wise suggestions for top-notch imbibing. The photograpy is stunning--and is impetus enough to encourage one to try the recipes--but the ease with which most of the drinks can be concocted is also a major plus. A.J.'s vast knowledge and dedicated drink-related research come together in this amazing compilation of cocktail ideas. My personal favorite? The Lion Tamer, but something tells me this book is going to be covered in sticky-notes and dog-eared pages from constant referencing in no time!
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Much like other coffee table books, Rathbun's "Dark Spirits" looks great and is a quick read. Since there isn't really much in the way of story here, I'll spell out the good and the bad in short order.
The Good:
The book is beautiful. My hardbound copy is heavy and well made with good stock in both cover and page. The photographs are superb and the design is one of the best things about this book. Legible fonts with attractive layouts throughout help make this a pleasure to look through.
The writing style is fun and playful and this book is an enjoyable, light read.
Along with the standards, there are tons of drink recipes I'd never heard of and plenty of liquors that share that same attribute. The sections about each spirit are informative and useful knowledge, perhaps in barrooms or if you get a slot on Jeopardy.
The Bad:
Let's face it, this is basically a recipe book. Having the drink selections divided by whimsy was a bad idea. While there is an index in the back in which one can find each recipe by base spirit, it would be far more useful had the author divided them throughout the book in kind. One can only imagine after having a few of these delights that it would be quite difficult to find a recipe otherwise.
Even if he had divided them up by Standards, Fruity, Aperitif, Dessert,etc., the book would have made a better bar companion. As it stands, I doubt many will refer to this when mixing. It may have added to the cost, but dividers with tabs are a standard in most drink recipe books or reference guides.
Many of the drinks featured are far too obscure and/or fluffy for my tastes.... Read more ›
The Good:
The book is beautiful. My hardbound copy is heavy and well made with good stock in both cover and page. The photographs are superb and the design is one of the best things about this book. Legible fonts with attractive layouts throughout help make this a pleasure to look through.
The writing style is fun and playful and this book is an enjoyable, light read.
Along with the standards, there are tons of drink recipes I'd never heard of and plenty of liquors that share that same attribute. The sections about each spirit are informative and useful knowledge, perhaps in barrooms or if you get a slot on Jeopardy.
The Bad:
Let's face it, this is basically a recipe book. Having the drink selections divided by whimsy was a bad idea. While there is an index in the back in which one can find each recipe by base spirit, it would be far more useful had the author divided them throughout the book in kind. One can only imagine after having a few of these delights that it would be quite difficult to find a recipe otherwise.
Even if he had divided them up by Standards, Fruity, Aperitif, Dessert,etc., the book would have made a better bar companion. As it stands, I doubt many will refer to this when mixing. It may have added to the cost, but dividers with tabs are a standard in most drink recipe books or reference guides.
Many of the drinks featured are far too obscure and/or fluffy for my tastes.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The first thing I noticed about Dark Spirits is how beautiful it is -- a thick, sturdy hardback with gorgeous pictures. A pretty book to show off. There are plenty of recipes for some thick, sturdy, and gorgeous drinks, too. There are a bunch of recipes which use ingredients that you're unlikely to have on hand, but perhaps finding these items is part of the fun.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
A.J. Rathbun's "Dark Spirits" makes an excellent edition (note: this is kind of silly spelling error that happens when testing the recipes in this book) to any kitchen or bar. A sturdy book of 300+ pages, plenty of photographs, and loaded with terrific recipes for some mighty fine drinks. This review is for the hardback edition--it's a heavy book, not bulky (shaped like one of those more expensive paperbacks), and with glossy pages. There's an index by organized by primary liquor, an index ordered by word (to include secondary liquor as well as photographs), and even a page on measurement equivalents (i.e., weight, temperature, and liquid conversions).
Rathbun writes in an entertaining and witty style. The book is well organized to include an introduction as well as a section on the various liquors celebrated within this recipe guide (rum, whiskey (American, Canadian, Irish, Scotch), and brandy). Tools of the trade are discussed and Rathbun gives good guidance as to what items and ingredients should be in a well-stocked bar. There are something like 200 drink recipes in "Dark Spirits" (I gave up counting at 143) and the book is organized into seven logical chapters (Classics, Bartender's Choice, Bubbly Refreshers, Chilled Cocktails, Scary Drinks (name only), Powerful Punches (yes!), and Hot Stuff (warm drinks)). There are plenty of pictures and educational sidelights as you traverse the book. This is a very well-organized, useful, and entertaining drinks guide and very highly recommended. Hail Caesar!!
Rathbun writes in an entertaining and witty style. The book is well organized to include an introduction as well as a section on the various liquors celebrated within this recipe guide (rum, whiskey (American, Canadian, Irish, Scotch), and brandy). Tools of the trade are discussed and Rathbun gives good guidance as to what items and ingredients should be in a well-stocked bar. There are something like 200 drink recipes in "Dark Spirits" (I gave up counting at 143) and the book is organized into seven logical chapters (Classics, Bartender's Choice, Bubbly Refreshers, Chilled Cocktails, Scary Drinks (name only), Powerful Punches (yes!), and Hot Stuff (warm drinks)). There are plenty of pictures and educational sidelights as you traverse the book. This is a very well-organized, useful, and entertaining drinks guide and very highly recommended. Hail Caesar!!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Most useful drink book I've ever owned
A friend of mine gave me this book for Christmas, because she knows I love bourbon, and I've spent the next two months going through all the recipes. I love this book. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mullins, SR
2.0 out of 5 stars
Well-Intentioned, but Lacking Focus
Dark Spirits promises an entire volume devoted to barrel-aged distillates of all kinds. Sadly, Rathbun fails to deliver. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Ian J. Parr
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delicious and informative
I've had this book for a while, but I didn't dive into it right away because I'm a fan of gin cocktails. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Shelley Ryan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not my favorite, but still a decent drink book
This book does have some interesting little historical tidbits in it, but I'd say that for it being basically a cocktail recipe book, it's a tad on the verbose side. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Rachel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bartender acumen helpful, but not required
Having recently taken a tour of a rum distillery, and having made my way through two other excellent books about spirits (Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the... Read more
Published on January 15, 2011 by Eric C. Sedensky
5.0 out of 5 stars
Such a unique, cool, dark, lovely and deep book
I already have about ten bar books, and this one is by far my favorite.
If you've ever enjoyed any kind of dark, aged, or expensive liquor, beer, or wine, then this book... Read more
If you've ever enjoyed any kind of dark, aged, or expensive liquor, beer, or wine, then this book... Read more
Published on December 30, 2010 by Joseph Dewey
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just Okay, Limited Usefulness
I thought that this was going to be a drink recipe book with cool photography and witty text. In my opinion, it misses the mark on each one of those items. Read more
Published on December 8, 2010 by myoho guy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great addition to the bartending collection
This is an absolutely wonderful mixed drink recipe book. It is well laid out and has beautiful pictures (although not for every drink) - in addition to delightful recipes. Read more
Published on October 27, 2010 by S. Shrader
4.0 out of 5 stars
This is really a cookbook for booze hounds!
I've rarely seen a book on spirits the had so much description of the flavors and the feelings associated with the drink. Read more
Published on October 19, 2010 by Courtland J. Carpenter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for evening get togethers!
I have enjoyed having this book for the occasional entertaining that we do. My husband is great at whipping various recipes from this book to rave reviews from our friends. Read more
Published on July 15, 2010 by Munkee
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
