American Rye - by Clay Risen (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Author and spirits expert Clay Risen now offers a road map to the phenomena of rye. A detailed introduction includes a history of rye, how it's distilled, aged, and earns its distinguishing qualities. Sections include info on how to start collecting rye, read a whiskey label, and how to have a whiskey tasting. Extensive rye whiskey accounts are organized alphabetically by distillery and brand and each of more than 225 expressions include a color photo of the bottle, info on proof, age, average price, tasting notes (nose, palate, finish), and is rated on a four-star scale."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

What is going on with rye whiskey? Suddenly both experienced and new whiskey lovers are turning to rye as their primary object of interest. And just as suddenly the market is flooded with new offerings of this "old fashioned" spirit--the growth from just a dozen brands 15 years ago to more than 225 today is unprecedented. Author and spirits expert Clay Risen now offers a road map to the phenomena of rye. A detailed introduction includes a history of rye, how it's distilled, aged, and earns its distinguishing qualities. Sections include info on how to start collecting rye, read a whiskey label, and how to have a whiskey tasting. Extensive rye whiskey accounts are organized alphabetically by distillery and brand and each of more than 225 expressions include a color photo of the bottle, info on proof, age, average price, tasting notes (nose, palate, finish), and is rated on a four-star scale. The author with a group of expert tasters "blind tasted" each and every one--a first for a spirits book of this scale. The result is a groundbreakingly innovative and invaluable asset for the whiskey lover navigating the world of American rye.

Review Quotes

"A comprehensive and opinionated guide for the intermediate tippler . . . It's a detailed, admirably cranky directory. Risen's tasting notes for each are erudite and fun."--Wall Street Journal

"A whiskey novice's best friend . . . It's a book I plan on keeping around for constant reference."--Saveur

"Ideal for the hobbyist and neophyte alike, it makes for a great reference for building your perfect at-home bar."--Wine Enthusiast "Clay Risen brings a light and unfussy tone to his descriptions of distilleries and the many variations each distillery makes. How reliable are his ratings? He wins me over by consistently scoring bottlings from the obscurish but excellent Springbank above the exposed Glendfiddich."--The Wall Street Journal

"Regardless of where the whiskeys fall on the single malt spectrum, Risen and his tasting panel have created a definitive reference on the topic. This is a must-have guide for novices and aficionados alike."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Risen rates and describes 200+ whiskeys in direct honesty, and delivers a fine, concise history and guide to American whiskey. Tuck it in your hip pocket and go drinking."--Whisky Advocate

"Smart and stirring."--New Republic

"There are numerous Scotch books on the market, but Risen's is the best introduction to single malt Scotch to hit the shelves since Michael Jackson's Complete Guide. If you know a beginner or intermediate Scotch drinker, it would be hard to find a better gift."--K&L Wine Merchants

About the Author

Clay Risen is a reporter and editor at The New York Times and the bestselling author of Single Malt: A Guide to the Whiskies of Scotland; American Whiskey, Bourbon and Rye: A Guide to the Nation's Favorite Spirit; and The Crowded Hour: Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and the Dawn of the American Century. A graduate of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and the University of Chicago, he grew up in Nashville and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and two young children.