Book excerpt: This authoritative book gives simple advice on how to enjoy the immense diversity of whisky, and how to become more adventurous with your choice of flavors and styles. Whisky is the world's favorite spirit and is enjoying booming sales, yet too often it is shrouded in mystery, myth and complex-sounding terminology. This book--written by three world-class experts--cuts through the jargon and offers first-rate advice on what to taste and try. It covers not just famous Highland malts, Irish pot still whiskeys, and American bourbons, but also whiskies from South East Asia, Japan, and Canada. Each entry includes a short description of the distillery, information for visitors, tasting notes, and flavor profiles of the best-known blends. The history of whisky and its production methods are clearly explained, and there is advice on how to nose, taste, and savor, as well as how to organize a whisky tasting. There is also a selection of classic whisky cocktails, and advice on food pairing.