Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: cookbooks, recipes, cocktails, Kentuckiana, bourbon whiskey
Format: small hardback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library
I would say this book is more for the professional bartender or the very sophisticated, probably with a bit more disposable money, home bartender. The average person with a small to modest cabinet at home may find this book not too accessible. It has the usual issue many of these cocktail recipe books (and other cookbooks) have which is recipes with often complex and/or rarely used and/or not easy to find ingredients. So the book can be nice to read, but it is not practical for the average person.
The book is arranged as follows:
- A preface by Susan Reigler.
- 8 chapters with topics such as Getting Started, Infusions, cocktail recipes such as classics and seasonal, and nibbles (light food recipes).
- A small glossary.
- A small suggested further reading list.
Though you can use any bourbon you prefer, the author does have her list of 12 bourbons; these range in price from low price (under $20) to expensive stuff the average person will never find (i.e. that Pappy Van Winkle 15 years old). If you are curious, here is the list. For fun, I am putting an asterisk (*) next to brands I have personally tasted and tried:
- Basil Hayden *
- Blanton
- Buffalo Trace *
- Evan Williams Single Barrel
- Four Roses Single Barrel *
- Jefferson Reserve
- Jim Beam White Label *
- Maker's Mark *
- Old Fitzgerald Prime
- Old Forester 86 proof
- Pappy Van Winkle 15-year-old (LOL on me ever even seeing this).
- Wild Turkey 80 proof *
- Woodford Reserve *
I've tasted seven from the list. Let me add a bit of additional comment. For Four Roses, we tend to prefer and keep a bottle of their Four Roses Small Batch at home. For Evan Williams, I've recently had and liked their Evan Williams Bottled in Bond; I've got the single barrel to try out sometime soon. A favorite of mine not on the list is Elijah Craig Small Batch (at 94 proof). As for Wild Turkey, I tend to prefer Wild Turkey 101.
Let's get back to the book. Getting the bourbon is not the challenge (except for that one or two brands, unless you live in some retrograde hick place with dry laws, then it can get harder to get the bourbon). Getting other ingredients for some recipes can be the real challenge, especially for things like liqueurs, cordials, so on that the average person may not use often outside of a specific recipe. This issue is not unique to this book by the way.
Otherwise, the book is pretty reader-friendly with an easy and encouraging tone. Instructions are fairly easy to follow too.
On a final note, though the book's description says the book is "accompanied by stunning color photographs." I'd take that with a grain of salt. Photos in the book are nice but small and far between. This is not really a book that stands out of the photos.
In the end, I liked it. It's a book to borrow, browse, maybe find one of the easier recipes to try out, and move on. Nice but optional.
3 out of 5 stars.
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