Book Review: Spirit of Place – Scotland’s Great Whisky Distilleries
Book Review: Spirit of Place – Scotland’s Great Whisky Distilleries
Scotland is a magical place, and descriptions and tasting notes really don’t do it justice. If you’re a whisky fan and can’t visit in person, the next best thing is here: Charles MacLean’s Spirit of Place, with photos by Lara Platman and Allan MacDonald.
The book is a beautiful coffee table tome, with almost 300 pages of gorgeous pictures showcasing nearly 60 Scottish distilleries. The book is split up by region (distilleries are organized alphabetically within each region), and each gets a nice-sized writeup before moving on to the photos. Detailed captions explain not just what you’re seeing in each picture, but they also offer fun facts and interesting details about these places — many of which I had never heard before.
Platman and MacDonald have plenty of shots of copper pot stills, aluminum wash backs, and wooden casks, but they wisely choose to tell a broader story with photos than what you see only in the distillery and warehouse proper. From shots of barley fields to workers on the line, the photos really take you to the Scottish isles, whether that be through a telephoto view of the exterior of a distillery to a close-up view of whisky in a glass.
Pour a glass of whisky from one of these distilleries, then spend some time flipping through the relevant pages and see if it doesn’t enhance the experience.
A / $40 / [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
Spirit of Place - Scotland's Great Whisky Distilleries
$40
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