Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and Its Whiskies [Paperback]

Andrew Jefford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 6, 2005

Despite its tiny size, seven different whisky distilleries populate the Isle of Islay, where some of the wildest and most flavorful hops in the malt-whisky spectrum are grown. Scotland’s renowned island is uncovered in this fascinating account, including its rich history—chock-full of stories of shipwrecks and storms—and its luscious wildlife and landscape. Interwoven in the narrative are tales of the whiskies themselves, traced from a distant past of illegal stills to their present-day prosperity. The flavor of each spirit is analyzed and the differences between them teased out, as are the stories of the notable men and women who played an integral part in their creation. Wonderfully evocative, this is the story of a place and a taste never to be forgotten once sampled.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Andrew Jefford writes so beautifully that I suspect he could make a history of galvanised steel bolts seem graceful and absorbing. And so this is not simply an appreciation of whisky, but a voyage into the history and geography of a tiny Scottish island' -- Daily Mail 20050603 'The attention to detail and thoroughness of this book brings the distilleries so vividly alive that you can almost smell the whisky. Thoroughly recommended to whisky connoisseur and dabbler alike' -- Birmingham Evening Mail 20050813 'There's no better book about these whiskies than Andrew Jefford's PEAT SMOKE AND SPIRIT... Jefford is an excellent writer... In PEAT SMOKE AND SPIRIT, Andrew Jefford has written a compelling narrative that succeeds on every level' -- Mid-Atlantic Brewing News 20050706

About the Author

Andrew Jefford has won eight Glenfiddich Awards for his food writing, along with several other awards. He is the former drink correspondent for the Evening Standard, and his previous works include After-Dinner Drinks, Choosing Wine, The New France, and The World of Wine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (June 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747245789
• ISBN-13: 978-0747245780
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #541,830 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captures the true spirit of the Hebrides, July 12, 2007

By 

James Ferguson (Vilnius, Lithuania) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and Its Whiskies (Paperback)

If you want a taste of the Western Isles of Scotland then there is no better book than Peak Smoke and Spirit. Andrew Jefford has distilled a lot of history into these chapters, capping off each chapter with a tour of one of the seven remaining Islay distilleries, among them Lagavulin and Laphroaig. You don't necessarily need to know the Islay whiskies to appreciate this book, but it helps. Jefford invites his readers to have a dram of each of the whiskies in reading the chapters, as he taunts you with the many aromas produced by these fine single malts as they are drawn from their oak casks. In the tradition of great Scottish writers like Neil Ascherson and Edwin Muir, Jefford takes in the terrain of the island as well as its history, following rivers along their courses to the distilleries and noting the flora and fauna along the way, so that you get a sense of the origins of these famous malted whiskies. He describes the processes in the distilleries in easy to follow terms, along with illustrations to distinguish between the types of vats employed. It was interesting to me that these distilleries were rather small operations, keeping their long standing traditions alive despite the numerous ownership changes over the years. Jefford notes that it was often difficult to get the distilleries to divulge their "secrets," despite it being virtually impossible to replicate these tastes even if you knew all that went into these whiskies, which is why these distilleries have all struggled over the years to maintain their markets. Jefford also describes the various clan battles over the centuries for control of the islands, and how the Hebrides were virtually a nation of islands onto itself at one point, forming a bridge between Irish and Scottish Gaelic culture.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Islay Bible, May 28, 2007

By 

J. Klerks (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and Its Whiskies (Paperback)

This book is about the Scottish (Inner Hebrides) island of Islay and it's famous peated whisky. In sixteen chapters, the author pays attention and tribute to each of the seven distilleries, alternated by typical Islay topics such as history, nature, weather and even shipwrecks.

If you're into Islay whiskies you have to like this book, there's no other way. The book was written by one either, and it shows. Hence it's easy to forgive the vocabulary, which isn't exactly simplified English at times, but then again whisky is no simplified drink either. And yes, the best way to get into the book is with a dram (or two) by your side. If you were ever looking for a comprehensive read about Islay and its whiskies, this is it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth Reading!, May 18, 2011

By 

Jonathan D. Stubbs "JStubbs.com" (Luleå, Sweden) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and Its Whiskies (Paperback)

Whisky aficionados who enjoy reading about the beverage they are consuming may want to consider adding this work to their library. Why?

For starters, author Andrew Jefford offers some good background information about whisky distillation. His description of wash and spirit still design is relatively brief yet quite informative. I learned more with his words than from many of the other, more expensive, books in my library. While knowing the ingredients and brewing process is pretty basic, the narrative is interesting and refreshing. Then, he covers distillation in a way that other whisky writers just don't quite match.

Turning to the core of the book - about Islay. Quite impressive! He's sandwiched descriptions of each distillery in between background material about Islay. About as close as one can get without actually going!

The descriptions of each distillery were quite thorough with both history and information on the style used by each. Jefford helps the reader to understand that whisky is an art rather than science. There is so much that we don't understand about what goes into a memorable whisky - and Jefford helps us to understand why through his descriptions of each operation. The water is often cited by distillers - not necessarily according to what he writes. The amount of peat, the grain and so on all may or may not be a factor and this book gives a good feel for that reality. At the end of each distillery's chapter is a list of hard facts - quite useful when making comparisons or considering whether to purchase a particular whisky. Also interesting is that he is able to be critical about a distillery without being negative - if the reader isn't reflective some good points might even be overlooked.

The chapters about Islay's people, history and geography are valuable - whether one does or doesn't visit this unique part of Scotland.

My greatest complaint is the book's lack of a detailed map or maps. Fortunately, my copy of the Islay Ordnance Survey map (#60) made up for that lack. Without the detailed ordnance map the oh-so-many different places that Jefford mentions/describes can get jumbled in the mind. I recommend having a copy of the ordnance map if you like detail.

One last thought, I usually inhale books at the rate of several a week. It was impossible with this one - it took me about three weeks to get through "Peat Smoke and Spirit". I didn't mind and never felt like giving up. It was just that there is so much to digest. I'm not complaining - to me that's the sign of an excellent work. I must confess that I skipped over some of his vocabulary - usually I run to my dictionaries. He seems to be using colloquialisms that have yet to find their way into dictionaries - well, ok - that's his style.

So thank you very much Andrew Jefford, you've brought me almost as much pleasure as has a glass of Ardbeg distilled in the `60s! I recommend this book!