The S.S.M.S. list of literature on Scotch
and adjacent topics

This bibliography is to our knowledge the most complete there is on
Scotch. All titles are in English unless otherwise stated.

Thanks to Ulf Buxrud from whom we borrowed some data.




S.S.M.S. Top 20 Titles Other Titles on Scotch Titles on adjacent topics Titles in other languages


















S.S.M.S. Top Twenty Titles

The following we consider as the twenty classic and/or leading titles on
Scotch. They represent the core of a scotch connoisseur's library. Some
of the titles are hard or even impossible to come by at a reasonable
price (eg the first edition of Barnard's The Whisky Distilleries of The
United Kingdom), but nearly all have been reprinted or released in new
editions in recent years. As a little extra service we give you a hint
about the contents of most of the titles.


Author Title Comment
Barnard, Alfred The Whisky Distilleries of the UK London 1887 Newton Abbot 1969 Edinb 1987 (short version) Barnard's book is the Scotch Malt Whisky Classic par preference. Mr Barnard visited the distilleries of the British Isles shortly before the turn of the century. His notes and comments on each and every one of the visited distilleries is nothing short of the fundamental source of our knowledge about whisky distilling in those long gone days.
Brown, Gordon The Whisky Trails: A Travellers Guide to Scotch Whisky 1993 A travellers guide indeed, well written and with a perfect balance between the hard facts and the picturesque folklore, between straight forward descriptions and anecdotal ones.
Bruce-Lockhart, Sir Robert Scotch - The Whisky of Scotland in Fact and Story 1951, 1959, 1967 Bruce-Lockhart's book, first published in the early fifties, is the missing link between Barnard and today's excellent surveys of Scotch. It is a personal and wide-grasping treatise on single malt and blended whisky; how it is made, its history, its great men, the important distilleries, the tradition and the lore.
Burns, Robert Complete Works 1876 The poet and excise officer, to whom whisky is the exuberant core around which poetry and ordinary life evolves, has but one name: Burns, Robert Burns. His lyrical works is full of references to whisky and its profound impact on the human conditions.
Daiches, David Scotch Whisky: Its Past and Present 1969, 1978, 1983, 1995 Written in the late sixties by professor Daiches, this is a classic book on scotch, and still, nearly thirty years later, in excellent health. Daiches has written several books on Scotch and even more on other, preferably humanistic, subjects.
Daiches, David A Wee Dram; Drinking Scenes from Scottish Literature London 1990 Another one by the professor, in this case dedicated to that inspirational link between the wee dram and the well written. A must for those interested in the literary context in which whisky is embedded.
Gunn, Neil M Whisky and Scotland 1935, 1990 reprint A classic by the former excise officer, with focus set on the pros of single malt and the cons of blends. Its written in a narrative and imaginative manner, full of humour and of a genuine sense for the mystifying aspects of whisky.
Jackson, Michael The World Guide to Whisky London 1987, 1991 One of the most thoroughgoing books on whisky there is, informative and illustrated throughout, though perhaps slightly outdated.
Jackson, Michael Malt Whisky Companion London 1989, 91, 94, 95 One of the leading quartet of 'field guides' to malt whisky. With personal ratings.
Lamond, John and Tucek, Robin The Malt Whisky File 1989, 1991, 1993 One of the leading quartet of 'field guides' to malt whisky. Probably the most 'professional' guide around.
MacDowall, R J S The Whiskies of Scotland London 1967, 1986, 1991 An early book on scotch with the scope set on the men that built the whisky world and on the history and folklore surrounding the art of distillation.
MacLean, Charles The Mitchell Beazley Pocket Wh Book London 1993 One of the leading quartet of 'field guides' to malt whisky. The weakest of the four when it comes to tasting notes, but the best when it comes to distillery and industry information.
Milroy, Wallace The Malt Whisky Almanac - A Taster's Guide Moffat 1986, sev eds, 96 One of the leading quartet of 'field guides' to malt whisky. Written by the man behind the best shop there is, Milroy's at 3 Greek Street in Soho, London.
Morrice, Philip The Schweppes Guide to Scotch London 1983  
Moss, Michael S and Hume, John R The Making of Scotch Whisky - A History of the Scotch Whisky Distilling Industry Edinb 1981  
Robb, J Marshall Scotch Whisky, An Illustrated Guide Edinb 1950  
Spiller, Brian DCL - Distillery Histories London 1981  
Townsend, Brian Scotch Missed: The Lost Distilleries of Scotland 1993 A complete exposé over the long gones and recent losses in Scottish distilling; personal yet compelling, brief yet informative and overall very well written.
Wilson, Neil and Rowe, Lincoln Scotch and Water: Islay, Jura, Mull, Skye Lockerbie 1985 Illustrated guide to the Hebridean Malt Whisky
Wilson, Ross Scotch - The Formative Years London 1970