Post #280180 by Dr. Bamboo on Mon, Jan 22, 2007 7:32 AM

I'll also chime in with my support for Ted Haigh's "Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails". My mother-in-law got it for me for Christmas a year ago (Who says mothers-in-law are all bad??), and it's fantastic.

I'd also recommend taking a chance on "The Ultimate Book of Cocktails" by Stuart Walton. I picked it up from a Borders clearance rack for $3.99.

However, a warning is in order regarding this book. Despite being a large, well-designed book with lots of beautiful photographs, many of the recipes are of extremely dubious accuracy (the Mai Tai for example, is a travesty).

So why would you possibly want it then? Because the first 100 pages are a wonderful overview of almost every kind of spirit available...even obscure ones. This reference section alone is worth the price of the book.

My advice would be to buy this book at a discount and ignore the recipe section entirely. The real value is it's comprehensive liquor guide.