Book excerpt: This insider’s guide to American distilleries, from the author of The Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining, offers colorful lore, regional history, and tasting notes for bourbon, whiskey, and rye. The Bourbon Drinker’s Companion is an illustrated and narrative journey into the heart of American craft distilleries, taking readers from the well-known Jim Beam Booker Noe plant to craft whiskey brewers on the West Coast to the emerging new traditional distillers of the South, in search of America’s best whiskey. Bestselling author Colin Spoelman is back to celebrate all things whiskey as he explores the effect branding, taste, region, and distilling processes have on America’s beloved and most notorious drink. Head down to Louisville to visit Angel’s Envy Distillery, go east to Jeptha Creed Distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky, and then be sure to hit one of America’s oldest distilleries, Buffalo Trace, in nearby Frankfurt, as you follow the road of spirits. Complete with sidebars and infographics highlighting key whiskies, bourbons, and ryes from each distillery, as well as tasting notes, pricing information, distilling methods, and more, The Bourbon Drinker’s Companion is the perfect plus one to bring along. Includes Black-and-white Photographs