Dominic Roskrow - Worlds Best Whiskies: 750 Unmissable Drams from Tain to Tokyo

Its nearly impossible to over-estimate how much the world of whisky has changed since 2010. It has grown immeasurably. and continues to evolve on a weekly basis.

Most of what made the world of whisky what it was in 2010 is still there; all the traditional distilleries are still working, and in most cases, thriving. The classic whiskies are still to be found on the shop shelves. Whisky enthusiasts still flock to auctions or specialist online sites in order to find rare whiskies on the secondary market. But, today everything feels different, and thats because it is.

Turn the clock back and the world of whisky was effectively an elitist club, one dominated by ageing men. In the main it was consumed after dinner, after a round of golf, or, in some markets, as a chaser after a nice beer. Drinking whisky wasnt exactly frowned upon, but nor was it feted.

In just one decade whisky has grown and evolved. Men still drink whisky after dinner, but today younger trendsetters partake, too. Youll still see men at the 19th hole sipping whisky, but an increasing number of women choose it as well. Scotland and Ireland remain important, but an increasing number of people are dabbling with whiskies from India, and also Taiwan. The Jims and Jacks remain huge, but a new wave of craft distillers are spreading out across the world. So how has this happened?

Firstly, whisky got fashionable. It not only came in from the cold but it headed straight for the centre of the bar and it hasnt moved since. Whisky started to chime with the times. Drinking less but better became a thing, consumers looking for provenance and heritage found it aplenty on whisky shelves, and a new generation of whisky drinkers discovered it and each other through social media. Twenty-something-year-old bloggers turned the world of whisky on its head.

But, if consumer attitudes changed, then the physical world of whisky changed even more. Across the world, new craft distilleries have been built and are making whisky. The first wave of new distillers are now bottling expressions with ages in double digits, many many more have only bottled their first spirit in the last four or five years, and yet more are just beginning out on their journey.

Updating this book for a second edition has been fascinating. Some of the great characters have retired, sold up and moved on, or died. Distilleries have been expanded or have changed hands, and whisky companies have grown bigger or merged. New whisky styles have appeared on the market, and whisky now attracts a younger clientele, and many more women.

There has been a more profound shift since 2010, too. Where once there were perhaps 150 distilleries of any note across the world, with 100 of them in Scotland, now that figure is closer to 1000, with up to 150 of them in Scotland. Countries such as Sweden and Australia have grown from fledgling whisky-producing countries to countries with a wide range of excellent whiskies, countries as diverse as England, the Netherlands, Taiwan and India are capable of matching many of the malts from the traditional whisky nations. While in the United States, the likes of Balcones, Corsair and Westland are offering strong and tasty alternatives to the Jim Beams and Jack Daniels.

That has presented its own set of problems. This book celebrates the best 750 whiskies widely available. To include any of the new whiskies has meant having to remove whiskies that once made the cut. In some cases there has been a natural cull, as rarer whiskies in the first edition have all but disappeared now. However, that left some tough decisions.

Many of the new whiskies such as those from Kavalan and Spirit of Hven, are featured here. Many others and there are scores of them narrowly missed out, even though they are very good and will only get better.

In the end, the winner is you. There is more great whisky out there than ever. Its been some ride since 2010, and it aint over yet. Hopefully, though, this new edition of The Worlds Best Whiskies has captured some of the excitement that is modern whisky. Strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.