Buzzfeed, 2022: 59 Presents That Won’t Get Re-gifted - coming in at #13, “The Complete Whiskey Course”
The Liquor Lab, Nov. 2022: 13 Best Books about Whiskey: Coming in at #6 - The Complete Whiskey Course
““Your book has been instrumental in training our staff. Incredibly informative and easy to digest, it’s leading a lot of our staff trainings.””
““A must-read for aspiring connoisseurs, and a thorough refresher for seasoned whisky lovers.”
WhiskeyAdvocate”
Winner: Gourmand Award (US) for Drink Education, 2020 (W3-2)
Thrillist: Best Gifts for Whiskey Drinkers: “…comprehensive and difinitive…”
Liquor.com: The 12 Best Whiskey Books of 2021: Best Book for Beginners
“…entertaining and extremely informative…I would recommend this book to the new whiskey drinker as well as the connoisseur.” - Jon Dubin, Brand Director, Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey
““I wish I had seen this book before I started my whiskey journey.”
JP Mixology”
“Just got it yesterday and can’t put it down. Robin Robinson covers every aspect of whiskey including the many notable whiskey producing countries in the world. With a no-nonsense informational approach which is attractive to any whiskey lover form beginner to expert. Full of information on all aspects of whiskey, this should be the first book you reach for answers regarding any aspect of whiskey.
Barnes & Noble Customer 5 Stars”
Contact me to learn more about whiskey: 201-263-1141
Winner: 2020 Gourmand award (US) for Spirits Education!
(W3-2 Drink Education)
You can find The Complete Whiskey Course… at any of your favorite booksellers and also with these online merchants:
Barnes & noble: http://bit.ly/2xHaziATheCompleteWhiskey
Indiebound: http://bit.ly/32llhd5TheCompleteWhiskey
Abe Books: https://bit.ly/CompleteWhiskeyCourse
If you enjoy the book, please feel free to leave a review at one of these online stores!
The Complete Whiskey Course arrives just in time. Whiskey has now exploded into the “third wave”, meaning that its now part of the everyday conversation of people’s lives and continues to be a preferred choice for those drinking spirits. But there remains an aura of “exotic” around it that makes even the most sophisticated drinker admit “I’m no connosieur”.
That is why I wrote this book, to break down the “mystery” around whiskey and open it up to enjoyment from all walks of life. Using clear language, in ten “classes” we travel from the roots of distillation in ancient times and the beginnings of whiskey in the middle ages.
From there, we spread out all over the world, from Japan to Scotland to Kentucky to Brooklyn, NY. I conducted interviews with some of the top whiskey makers of our time and peek into some of their thoughts, processes and secrets to the “water of life”. Over 170 whiskies and distilleries are profiled in these gorgeously illustrated pages, full of full color photos from distilleries around the world.
NYMagazine.com: The Best Gifts for Whiskey Lovers According to Distillers and Drinks Experts: “In ten ‘classes’ Robin takes us on a journey through the roots of distillation in ancient times and the beginnings of whiskey in the middle ages to Japan, Scotland, Kentucky, and Brooklyn,” says Luna-Ostaseski, adding that there are great interviews with some of the best whiskey makers as well as profiles of their distilleries.
Buzzfeed: Cheap But Thoughtful Gifts: Say a lot without spending a lot!
Reviews:
“Purchase this book and you’ll be an instant expert. This publication is an outstanding achievement for the whiskies world at large! Amazing quality inside an out. The binding and paper stock scream high-end, while the contents of the whiskies courses contained within seal the deal. But don’t be scared, this is truly a book for all whiskies enthusiasts; new to the world, or a bit long in the tooth, there’s something in there for everyone! Quite impressive in its breadth and depth of content, though not in the least unexpected from a man who has been living and breathing the whiskies world for so long. Make no mistake, this book will stand as the new defacto whiskies resource for ages to come!
Amazon Customer 5 Stars”
“What an amazing book! Robin’s Complete Whiskey Course is not just an educational and entertaining book, it enters the market place as the immediate go-to reference book for Whiskey. From how to read a label, to when or not when to add water while tasting whiskey, to subtle differences in laws, to comparing styles around the globe, this book has everything, well-organized and easily accessible.
Amazon Customer - 5 Stars”
“Everyone from the novice whiskey fan to the long time aficionado should have this book in their collection! This is a superb guide, not just to one particular type of whiskey, but to the entire, diverse whiskey world, including its history, production, notes on nosing, tasting, deciphering labels, and more. I have more than a dozen whiskey books on my shelf, but now this is the one I find myself going back to, time and time again. If you’re going to own one whiskey book, this should be it!
Amazon Purchase 5 Stars”
I’m honored that Opici Family Distributing has chosen “The Complete Whiskey Course” as its whiskey reference guide for its entire sales force!
“It's a great book! Technical details on production and tasting, with brand and personal stories. It's great for newbies and industry pros. You did a great job,...and whomever did the graphics and layout made it enjoyable and easy to thumb through. The team will find it super informative.”
Ryan Caswell, Portfolio Director for Opici
Editorial Reviews
MSN.com: The Best Christmas Gifts for Whiskey Lovers: “Consider it a starting course for a budding whiskey snob”.
Whiskey Advocate: New Whiskey Books for 2019
“A must-read for aspiring connoisseurs, and a thorough refresher for seasoned whisky lovers.”
Liquor.com, 2019 by Kara Newman: https://www.liquor.com/slideshows/cocktail-books-fall-2019/#gs.jx461r “Educator Robin Robinson has delivered a hefty tome, but it feels not at all weighty to read, with production info and lore broken into manageable, readable chunks and interspersed with plenty of photos and infographics.”
Liqour.com, 2020: Three Whiskey Books Every Bartender Needs to Read…by Kara Newman: “A sprawling coffee-table-style book, this guide allots ample space to colorful photos, bottle beauty shots and even full-page guides to decoding the labels of selected whiskey bottles. It’s a book that invites you to pour a dram and settle in.
Robinson is a longtime whiskey instructor at New York City’s Astor Center; this book is the next best thing to sitting in on one of his classes with a flight of whiskeys already poured. It’s organized by whiskey regions, and it’s clear the author’s intent is for readers to taste as they go. Bottle recommendation layouts exhort readers to “Taste This,” and each chapter concludes with a curated “Guided Tasting” section.“
Excerpt: “Laphroaig 10 Year is where you cross over the bridge to claim your whisky-drinker badge. It’s perhaps as good a stand-in as any when the aliens land and ask you: ‘What is Scotch?’ Pour them a dram of this oily, medicinal, peaty and fruit-laden elixir and watch them blast off with it, wrapped in their tentacles.”
https://www.liquor.com/bartending-books-march-2020-4798880
The Whiskey Ambassador (Scotland): In summary, this is a very well-written, informative and highly enjoyable book for those keen to learn more and as a reminder for those who are already whisk(e)y enthusiasts. I thoroughly recommend it, especially in the current situation where you might be looking for things to do to keep learning. If you’ve done or are about to do any of The Whisky Ambassador courses, this should be added to the reading list. For the full review, click here
Beachcomber, by Bruce Collier: “…the most understandable description of distilling I’ve ever read, and a country-by-country rundown of world whiskey, including suggested tastings. Nothing for snobs or folklorists, just plenty of straight skinny, lots of pretty photos and useful charts.”
PGRated, by Peter M. Gianotti: ”…an easy read that in 10 classes gives you a high-octane education. The text combines history and production, along with an informative tour that takes in Scotch whisky and the whiskey of the United States, Canada, Ireland, and Japan, among others. There are specific recommendations, and a list of whiskey bars across the U.S. Both Kurt Weill and Jim Morrison would have approved.”
JP Mixology: “I wish I had seen this book before I started my whiskey journey. If I had, as a result, I would have had a much better idea what whiskey is all about. The first two chapters alone are worth the price of this book…after reading the first chapter, you will know more than 90% of the general public about this spirit.”
Shepard.com: The Best Books to Start a Drinker’s Library
An extended interview with Tiff Christie in Australia at Cocktail Collective: https://cocktailcollective.com.au/2019/11/22/letting-whiskey-take-its-course/
Whiskey Advocate: New Whiskey Books for 2019
“A must-read for aspiring connoisseurs, and a thorough refresher for seasoned whisky lovers.”
Liquor.com, 2019 by Kara Newman: https://www.liquor.com/slideshows/cocktail-books-fall-2019/#gs.jx461r “Educator Robin Robinson has delivered a hefty tome, but it feels not at all weighty to read, with production info and lore broken into manageable, readable chunks and interspersed with plenty of photos and infographics.”
A Series of “Whiskey 101” videos for my good friends at BottleRocket Wines and Spirits in NYC.
Beachcomber, by Bruce Collier: “…the most understandable description of distilling I’ve ever read, and a country-by-country rundown of world whiskey, including suggested tastings. Nothing for snobs or folklorists, just plenty of straight skinny, lots of pretty photos and useful charts.”
PGRated, by Peter M. Gianotti: ”…an easy read that in 10 classes gives you a high-octane education. The text combines history and production, along with an informative tour that takes in Scotch whisky and the whiskey of the United States, Canada, Ireland, and Japan, among others. There are specific recommendations, and a list of whiskey bars across the U.S. Both Kurt Weill and Jim Morrison would have approved.”
JP Mixology: “I wish I had seen this book before I started my whiskey journey. If I had, as a result, I would have had a much better idea what whiskey is all about. The first two chapters alone are worth the price of this book…after reading the first chapter, you will know more than 90% of the general public about this spirit.”
An extended interview with Tiff Christie in Australia at Cocktail Collective: https://cocktailcollective.com.au/2019/11/22/letting-whiskey-take-its-course/
Thanks to Bill Eberd “The Whiskey Dictionary” for this terrific YouTube review:
“…the problem was, I couldn’t put it down…you should absolutely have this book…”