At the outset, this book captures one's interest. In the opening pages, we learn that even the spelling of the subject matter of this book is an issue (At one point, the editors note that they had tho0ught of calling the book "Whisk(e)y & Philosophy" to account for that; they were talked out of doing this, though). First, let me confess. I am not much of a whisky drinker. I once wrote a review in a DK volume on the subject, and--out of curiosity--ended up investing in a bottle of Glenfiddich. To my surprise, I really enjoyed a sip here and there (however, the one small bottle lasted several months). Thus, I was curious about this volume when I saw it advertised.
This book is, in short, a lot of fun! It takes the subject seriously but also has fun with it. In the Foreword, the editors note what is at stake in this book (Page ix): "[Whiskey] is far more than liquor in a bottle: it embodies tradition and high craft, social history and topography, poetry and song. In other words, it comes with a pedigree. . . ." This book focuses on the various aspects of whiskey. Part I explores the history and culture of whiskey; Part II considers the beauty and experience of whiskey; Part III examines, believe it or not, the metaphysics and epistemology of whiskey; Part IV looks at ethics and whiskey. The final part reverts to the other spelling, "Whisky: A Sense of Place."
The book is an edited volume with a score or so of authors of individual chapters. Let's take a look at some of these to get a sense of the contents and approach. The very first chapter in Part I is a nice history of Scotch Whisky. It asks whether Scotch whisky is an agricultural or industrial product, leading to an interesting analysis. It speaks of the role of casks, how to achieve consistency, and the role of the conglomerate in production and marketing. The very next chapter examines what to me seemed like an exotic issue--the terms provenance and authenticity with Scotch. However, the discussion is engaging and adds to one's understanding of the culture of whisky. The second part of the book concludes with another engaging piece, entitled "Where the Fiddich Meets the Spey: My Religious Experience." The metaphysics and epistemology of Whiskey? Dalton's chapter, "Heisenberg's Spirits: Tasting Is More Uncertain Than It Seems" digs into the question (Page 196): "Are some whiskeys better than others?" His answer turns on the next phrase, in which he invokes Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle (from physics) (Page 196): "I will show in the following sections that the question encompasses not just the whiskey but also the person tasting it. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and how it relates to the taster/tasted system will be discussed." Again, much fun!
In the final section, there is a chapter on Japanese whiskey. What delights me about this is the use of postmodern theorist Jean Baudrillard, to consider the evolution of Japanese whiskey. The simple fact that Baudrillard is used fascinates; the application of his concept of simulacra/simulations is enchanting!
All in all, a fun book. If interested in the many perspectives on whiskey, this is worth a read.
Get more detail about Whiskey and Philosophy: A Small Batch of Spirited Ideas (Epicurean).
