| Michael Jackson's Complete Guide To Single Malt Scotch | 
 enlarge | Author: Michael Jackson
Publisher: Running Press
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $19.77
You Save: $10.18 (34%)
New (34) Used (9) from $16.77
Avg. Customer Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 3545
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 5 Sub
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 448
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 8.7 x 5.1 x 1.2
ISBN: 0762413131
Dewey Decimal Number: 641
EAN: 9780762413133
ASIN: 0762413131
Publication Date: August 3, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
 Excellent for reviews and consistency, with some reservations May 5, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Michael Jackson's "Complete Guide To Single Malt Scotch" is an encyclopedic collection of scotch knowledge and reviews of the most common offerings from every one of the nearly hundred malt distilleries in Scotland.
The book starts off by offering a concise education about the origins of scotch, interpretation of scotch labels, flavors, regional variations and factors that influence the taste of scotch all distilled down to less than eighty pages with numerous color pictures.
After you read the first section you will have a some idea about the decisions that affect the taste of your scotch, for example you might be able to tell whether the dram in your glass was matured in bourbon cask or a sherry cask and make some educated guesses about the shape of the copper stills that the scotch was distilled in.
However the first section was just the warm up. The real meat of the book is the second section which is an exhaustive listing of the most common offerings from every one of Scotland's roughly hundred or so malt distilleries with reviews written in Michael Jackson's signature concise style and a ranking on a 100 point scale. If you're like me you'll find yourself reading the first section and then coming back to both sections periodically for quick reference on a particular distillery or region. The second section is more of a reference and not meant to be read linearly.
And now I come to what makes this book unique. Michael Jackson is almost pathologically consistent in his review ratings, more so than the other popular whisky reviewers e.g. Paul Pacult. Taste is highly personal and subjective so it is unlikely you will agree with any one reviewer's ratings 100% of the times however Michael Jackson is very consistent about the factors that he rates well. I found that he especially appreciates robust full bodied whiskies with complex taste with no big surprises i.e. the nose should be a fairly good indicator of what the whisky will deliver in the mouth.
So while you may not always agree with him, reading his reviews and the ratings gives you a fairly good idea of what to expect from the whisky. This is what makes Michael Jackson such a great author. That and the encyclopedic listing of reviews makes this book a must buy for a scotch enthusiast like me.
Cons? Just a few. Like other Amazon reviewers have noted, he devotes an excessive amount of print to rare and expensive offerings that the average scotch drinker will never come across in his lifetime. Also his reviews are too concise. I would recommend getting this book for its unique merits but also looking into the writings of other scotch reviewers like F Paul Pacult, Jim Murray and Dave Broom who have a more engaging and conversational style of writing, and will help round out your scotch education.
Edit: Just a quick revisit. Sadly, Michael Jackson is no more. He passed away in August 2007. May his soul RIP and I hope he is in whisky heaven enjoying a bottle of Talisker 18. There will be no newer editions of this book. Eventually, as distilleries come and go and their offered bottlings change, this book will get of date. But until then this will remain one of the best Scotch references on the planet.
 Can't go wrong with this book! April 2, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I bought this a few years ago coinciding with my introduction to whiskey (Balvenie Double Wood purchased at the Duty Free @ Gatwick). It was because of this book that I visited Scotland to delve into the mystery of Scotch Whiskey. I went to Glenfiddich, McCallum, and Abelour solely on Michael Jacksons' recommendations. I don't have the greatest pallet in the world but Jackson has been dead on for even a novice such as myself. I would have never picked up a Highland Park, Ardbeg, or Craigenmore if had not been for him.
Great book!
Wonderful Reference February 21, 2007
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
This was a gift for my husband and he has enjoyed the reviews immensely. He feels they are right on target and most informative.
Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch January 15, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Excellent, comprehensive reference for anyone who enjoys single malt scotch whiskey.
Great to Pair with a bottle of scotch January 9, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The book is easy to read and was a great pairing idea with a bottle of scotch for a lucky recipient
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