Many a golden dram has been drunk in praise of this classic work since it first appeared in 1969. The renowned literary critic David Daiches takes us on a lively tour of the history of the popular Scottish drink or, as Daiches describes it, "a civilized drink of great range and subtlety that is best consumed with attention and judgment. In his usual highly readable style, he combines a social and economic history of scotch whisky with personal tasting notes as he delves into the histories of distilleries and questions stillmen, mailmen, and brewers from the industry on the history of the drink. Far more than a simple listing of malts, David Daiches has written an indispensable companion for any lover of Uisge Beatha -- the water of life.