The Malt Whisky Yearbook is a consistently high quality publication. It provides an easy to use reference guide to all the distilleries in Scotland and Ireland, but information on those elsewhere in the world. Its authoritative and, compared to most whisky books, up to date. Despite the fact that whisky takes a long time to mature, the distilleries are producing new expressions every year – playing around with flavours and finishes. Then the ownership and business side of the distilling business is constantly in flux. This books captures all these subtle changes through the year.

Plus the articles at the front of the yearbook provide a fascinating insight into the drink. However, the writing styles do vary and pick up on my biggest criticism of whisky writing (including journalism). For instance, David Stirk, who has an piece here about whisky flavour classification, has a writing style I just do not like. He litters his prose with sarcastic comments and unfunny jokey remarks, that just become annoying.

In contrast Walter Schobert’s piece on Islay is beautifully written, as befits a man living and writing about the whisky industrial on his home island of Islay.

Well worth reading if you already no plenty about whisky, or even if your a beginner. ( )