Malt Whisky Yearbook 2011

Edited by Ingvar Ronde, published by MagDig Media. 274 pages including index, illustrated lavishly in full colour.

Sukhinder Singh of ‘The Whisky Exchange’ is quoted on the back cover saying ‘... how did we do without it before?’ – and than is exactly how I feel.

I would like to start in a critical way by pointing out all the negatives that this book has.  The problem is that the only negatives are very small and few.  Things like the paper being a bit thin so the book can be floppy – or one section where the colour contrast between text and background makes reading in a semi lit room difficult.

This book is fantastic.  Just remember that it is a yearbook and some of those characteristics come through.  The layout of text is in two columns for example, and it has a focus on recent trends and events – which is just what you want.

It reminds me very much of the annuals you got as a child – but infinitely better..  It is that cross over from magazine to book – it has many featured articles which give masses of information in detail over a wide range of aspects from mashing to marketing.

It is littered with key point interviews with whisky experts, it looks at whisky books – magazines and websites.  It reviews the year and has tables, statistics and a truely global approach.

It is edited by Ingvar Ronde but has many contributing writers of international fame, including some of my all time favourites.

If you are new to whisky this book is a good starting point.  If you have been interested in whisky for years this book will help you keep up to date and give you some focused depth.  What is not to like?