A well chosen book can enrich your life, expanding your knowledge and providing the perfect foundations for a greater understanding of a topic. A well chosen book can also make a great gift.
But with thousands of books available on all aspects of whisky, how do you pick where to start?
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As an industry professional of more than 10 years, Mark Littler has read more books on whisky than he can recall. These 10 books are selected from Littler’s personal reference library, and range from things he’s read out of interest, to full blown industry standard reference books.
“Independent Scotch, The History of Independent Bottlers” by David Stirk
Independent bottlers are often seen as the underdogs in the world of whisky but for passionate whisky drinkers and enthusiasts they are the backbone of the industry. Indy bottlers have the flexibility to release single cask, cask strength whisky, and provide a wider range of tasting experiences. Once you’ve experimented with indy bottlings, by comparison distilleries core ranges can feel, well, a little boring.
This book compiles histories of all the major independent bottlers, which is fascinating in itself. If that wasn’t enough Stirk has also assembled interesting insights to the operational world of whisky casks, making it a book that, like independent bottlers themselves, pushes the boundaries of the casual whisky fan. Perfect for existing and budding whisky enthusiasts.
Purchase Independent Scotch, The History of Independent Bottlers here for £24.95
“Collecting Scotch Whisky” By Emmanuel Dron
Okay that was the easing in done. Collecting Scotch Whisky is a core reference book for any serious collector of vintage whisky. Head over to our YouTube video on this same topic if you want to see the state of the Mark Littler LTD office copy—don’t worry yours will come with a cover, dust cover and outer case.
This book weighs a hefty 5kg and is monumental both in terms of physical size and content. Collecting Scotch Whisky contains over 2,500 different bottles and more than 12,500 photographs spread across nearly 1,000 pages. This book is not for the casual whisky drinker. It is so big that it wouldn’t necessarily make a good coffee table book. However, if you are a serious collector (or aiming to be), and want to learn the minutiae of vintage bottles, including everything from the evolution of bottle closures to minor text changes on labels, then this is the book for you.
It’s important to note that the bottles in this book are mostly from the 19th and 20th century, with a couple of exceptions in the early 2000s. So it really is a reference just for vintage bottles.
Purchase Collecting Scotch Whisky here for £310
“Malt Whisky Yearbook 2024” Ingvar Ronde
This is another of the Mark Littler LTD office stables, but at a much more accessible size and price point. The Malt Whisky Yearbook is in its 19th edition, and we have every copy back to 2008 (plus a few duplicates from the Covid lockdown years).
Alongside in-depth contributions from industry veterans that change each year, the book boasts a detailed directory of malt distilleries from Scotland and worldwide. It is the perfect companion for fact checking, brushing up on distillery histories and learning about recent developments. A must for every whisky lover’s desk.
Purchase Malt Whisky Yearbook, 2024 Edition here for £15.95
“Everything You Need To Know About Whisky” Nicholas Morgan & The Whisky Exchange
While many publications aspire to be the “definitive guide to whisky” Everything You Need To Know About Whisky really hits the mark as a perfect introduction for the budding enthusiast.
The book is a credit to the vast knowledge of the Whisky Exchange and Nicholas Morgan, and is a modern day whisky classic. The beautiful illustrations by Jonny Wan really complement the content and the book effortlessly covers a sufficiently broad range of topics to justify its title. Answering questions as diverse as whether or not casks are a good investment to the magic and mystery of whisky making this really is a “one size fits all” book.
Purchase Everything You Need To Know About Whisky here for £19.95
“The Definitive Guide to Buying Vintage Macallan”
Back to the office reference books, and again, make sure you check out the YouTube video to find out how Mark learned the very important lesson of why not to leave £300 books where a puppy can find it.
The Definitive Guide to Buying Vintage Macallan was produced by Macallan in 2002 when they introduced the Fine & Rare Collection. It provides direct-from-the-distillery insights and an incomparable window into a historic market. That market may now be unrecognisable, but remains fascinating for modern collectors and can act as an important reference when making purchase decisions today.
The book is packed with facts like original RRPs (including for the Macallan 1926 60 Year Old), which makes it a captivating read for any whisky fan, but especially Macallan collectors.
Purchase The Definitive Guide to Buying Vintage Macallan here for £350
“The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom” Alfred Barnard
How relevant is a book about whisky first published in 1887? As with any market or interest, learning the history of a subject is an irreplaceable foundation for making knowledgeable decisions.
Barnard, in what might be described as a noble feat of whisky enthusiasm (or perhaps a delightful self-assignment), set out to visit every distillery across Scotland, England, and Ireland. His notes were initially featured in Harper’s Weekly Gazette and were later compiled into a collective volume in 1887. Illustrated with over 150 pen drawings showcasing distillery interiors and exteriors, the book captures a fascinating snapshot of the whisky world over 136 years ago.
The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom is fascinating and important, but it is written in its original 19th century language so is one for enthusiasts, and best to dip in and out of.
Purchase The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom here for £40
“Johnnie Walker: A Long Stride, The Story Of The World’s No.1 Scotch Whisky” Nicholas Morgan
A bottle of Johnnie Walker sells every 8.64 seconds. It is an international sensation and the world’s best selling scotch whisky. Single malt collectors have a tendency to turn their noses up at blended whiskies, but blended scotch make up approximately 88% of the market and without it there might not be a single malt market like we know today.
Morgan’s account of the history of Johnnie Walker is both thorough and easy to read. Without doubt the insight into the history of the brand that this book provides will deepen any Johnnie Walker fan’s appreciation of the whisky, but also any single malt fan’s appreciation of the importance of blended whiskies to their favourite drink.
Purchase Johnnie Walker: A Long Stride, The Story Of The World’s No.1 Scotch Whisky here for £16.95
“The Philosophy of Whisky” Billy Abbott
The Philosophy of Whisky is part of the British Museum’s “The Philosophy Of” series, and Billy Abbott has created something really special. Abbott writes about whisky in a fun and engaging way. He manages to tread the line between being both accessible to whisky newcomers and providing insight that seasoned whisky lovers will also appreciate. Throughout the book are interesting short biographies about important historical figures such as Jasper Newton Daniel (now known as Jack) and Rita Taketsuru (without whom we might not have Japanese whisky) alongside answering perennial questions like “Whisky or Whiskey”.
Purchase The Philosophy of Whisky here for £10
“A Passion For Whisky” Ian Wisniewski
A Passion For Whisky is Wisniewski’s ode to Islay but covers more than just the distilleries. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Melvyn Evans, the book offers layers of insight and guidance that is easy to consume. It begins with a scientific exploration of the whisky making process and the sensory perception of flavour, and then covers each of Islay’s distilleries.
Islay is justifiably known as the “Queen of the Hebrides” and Wisniewski’s book about the distilleries of this infamous region is a comprehensive yet easy reading tribute.
Purchase A Passion For Whisky here for £24.95
“The Scotch Whisky Industry Review” 2023 Edition
Our final book on the list is one that is definitely not one for those with a casual interest in whisky. But if you are serious about exploring the next level of the whisky industry then The Scotch Whisky Industry Review offers insight you will not find outside of distilleries’ own spreadsheets.
This book features detailed data, analysis and history, covering everything from visitor centre attendance, expansions in malt distilling capacity, and fiscal duty ratios. This is one book we only suggest for the professional enthusiast! Issued annually, the information is for the previous complete year’s figures, so while there is some lag, if you want to make data driven decisions, this is the book for you.
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Purchase The Scotch Whisky Industry Review here for £450
So there is is, our non-exhaustive list of books for whisky collectors. If you’ve read something you think should be included, feel free to send details across, as we may update this from time to time.
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