The newly launched 'Ireland’s Whiskey Guide' is a comprehensive travel and whiskey guide that follows the three-year journey taken by author Kate Amber to recount the story of Irish Whiskey. This fascinating and comprehensive guide tells of the rich heritage of whiskey across this island - when at one time Ireland produced 60% of the world’s whiskey - and looks at the recent revival of distilleries around the country.
Seen through the eyes of author Kate Amber, or 'Whiskey Kate' as she is now known, the book weaves historical insights and lively anecdotes that guide the reader through the history and geography of Irish Whiskey. Travelling the country with her Irish driver Shem, Kate traces the ups and downs of Irish Whiskey from the heady days when twenty-eight distilleries and as many as 400 brands marked Ireland as one of the top whiskey producers in the world, to the lows of the 1916 UK whiskey embargo and US Prohibition which threatened the very survival of Irish whiskey.
'This book has been a labour of love as well as a feast for the senses,' said Kate Amber. 'I hope that my travels around Ireland and encounters with the people and the flavours that make Ireland and Irish whiskey unique will inspire readers to go on their own journey, to seek out new distilleries and new whiskeys as Irish whiskey starts to enjoy its rightful place again on the global whiskey stage'.
The journey takes the reader to the local roots of 'whiskey rebirthing' and speaks with many locals that have lived through the more difficult times faced by the industry. Told with colourful detail and genuine humour, the book chronicles the forgotten and turbulent history of Irish whiskey which is the foundation and inspiration behind new distilleries springing up all over the island of Ireland.
The deep-rooted belief that 'all good things take time' resonates strongly in the hearts of those involved in the Irish whiskey trade. Readers will gain insights into whiskey production and what it is that makes Irish whiskey unique and different from other whiskeys.
The guide provides interesting navigation through Ireland’s history and geography, for locals and visitors alike, with whiskey as the compass. Taking the reader 'off the beaten track', the book is a guide to many beautiful places across the country that are steeped in history with a story that is still being told.
