Editor’s Note: This book was provided to us as a review sample by its publisher. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review.
Creative writer by training and bartender by profession Bryan Paiement just released his second spirits-themed book: The Little Book of Whiskey Cocktails. This aptly named tiny tome is packed with useful recipes, a stripped-down essentialist tools guide, and witty kernels of information and jokes. It’s an impressive amount of information within the scant and small 136 pages.
Paiement studied creative writing, but graduated from amateur to professional bartender when a local joint needed a hand. Today, he pours drinks at The Cache in Fort Collins, Colorado, a bar and steakhouse inside of Ginger and Baker, a bakery specializing in pies. The Cache has such an intriguing little list of house cocktails that I was tempted to break out my cocktail shaker even before cracking the book. The list also features local whiskeys. Colorado is certainly making a name for itself as a brilliant place for local spirits, so it’s encouraging to see Paiement listing and talking about his local drams.
The Little Book of Whiskey Cocktails is composed of three sections: an introduction to whiskey, a quick guide to recommended tools and glassware, and recipes. In his interview with the Denver Post, Paiement mentions that his goal was to craft “quick reference guide” to essential whiskey cocktails that aren’t well known but are easy to make and delicious.
The intro contains a quick and witty run down on the history of whisky, whiskey, bourbon, and friends. Though its casual tone can become a touch wordy, it’s a great primer for understanding the different types of whiskeys available. The recommended tools section is a series of images of tools. It gives me the “I’ve seen this thing at a bar, but don’t know what to call it” vibe. Points to Paiement for not overloading the reader with dozens of useless tools, but this section could use a touch more description. The final, and largest, section is the recipes. I love his introductions to the various recipes. Recipes connect us with our past, and recipe books without stories just seem sad.
The downside of the recipe list is that some of the ingredients stray into the esoteric. Not that I personally mind shopping for blood orange liqueur—highly recommended if you can find it—but the $44 I spent on the bottle is not tax deductible, dear reader. The original recipe using said liqueur, Sunday’s Best on page 28, is a highly recommended and well-proportioned riff on the Baltimore Bang.
This doesn’t offer a massive selection of recipes, doesn’t guide you through the technical aspects of execution, and doesn’t offer more than an introductory-level amount of information on whiskey. But if you’re a fan of your local cocktail joint and are looking to try some whiskey drinks at home, this is the perfect book. The classic recipes are solid and the new recipes are well-composed riffs that are sure to impress. It offers just enough information to whet your appetite. There’s just enough here to impress and not overwhelm, which could aptly describe the perfect cocktail itself.
The Little Book of Whiskey Cocktails was published in August 2022 by the University Press of Kentucky, which serves over a dozen colleges and universities in Kentucky, a fitting home for a whiskey book. Paiement’s third book, Liquid Dessert, will be released in 2023 and is available for pre-order now.
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