Remember those fun scratch and sniff books? Well, they are making a comeback! And this one is for adults! Enter “The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whiskey Know-It-All” by Richard Betts. Yeah, you read that right! Presented
Remember those fun scratch and sniff books? Well, they are making a comeback! And this one is for adults!
Enter “The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whiskey Know-It-All” by Richard Betts.
Yeah, you read that right!
Presented in the traditional board book style with all the fun scratch and sniff “spots”, the history and methods of production on the different types of whiskeys are both entertaining as well as educational.
For instance, we were immediately fascinated to learn that the same ingredients that make beer also make whiskey! Huh!
Or did you know that whiskey in many countries is aged in old wine or whiskey barrels instead of new oak barrels like in the United States? These subtle differences are part of the nuances of their flavors!
It is exciting to be learning about the varieties of whiskeys, especially now when there are endless boutique artisans cropping up all over the world. Some of the “beginner’s guides” often seem too thick of a book to even start with, but the “Essential Scratch & Sniff” sums up the entirety in a way that even those with only a passing curiosity can learn a lot from!
It helps too that the New York Times Best-Selling Author, Richard Betts, (also the author of “The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert: Take a Whiff of That!) is actually a Master Sommelier who passed his exam on the first test! This means the author certainly “nose” his stuff!
What’s even more fun, other than the variety of scents we get to sample from scratching and sniffing, are the illustrations. They are lively and colorful! Heck, this book even comes with a map!
So get scratching, educate your palette, and enjoy!
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Ed and Cynthia Justus are owners of The Bookstore in Hanapepe.
