The paperbook

 

You like malt whisky. You live in and love Scotland. You're a writer. Your publisher suggests a book based on travelling around Scotland visiting distilleries. You are a lucky bar steward, Mr Banks! Raw Spirit is a great book for fans of Iain Banks as there's biographical bits and asides about the novels and characters. It's a good book for whisky lovers, albeit with fairly whimsical reportage (contrast to Andrew Jefford's 'Peat Smoke and Spirit' obsessive detail). It's also an interesting book for car lovers, especially Beemers and Landys, as Banksie speeds them through, and crashes into, the majestically described Scottish countryside. And, of course, it's done it's bit in upping the profile of Glenfiddich Gran Reserva.

The audiobook

 

Enjoyed this - an unabridged version narrated by Tom Cotcher (used to be a chunky Scots DC in The Bill). Tom does get behind the text and inject some enthusiasm into the narration. Manages some lovely moments of frustration, incredulity and spitting anger. Particularly liked how he wraps his lips around the word 'Azshashoshz'. I hired a copy from my local library - I strongly suggest you try that approach as well.

Perfect drams? Iain Banks on...

 

Glenfiddich Gran Reserva

"Brilliantly different, complex, utterly assured whisky making of the first order"

Laphroig

"a hell of a drink... positively bursting with smells straight out of the medicine cabinet, a road repair depot and even an industrial plant... pungent, no-holds barred stuff"

Dalwhinnie

"light, new-mown grass kind of smell to it... it's the dry herby notes that hold sway"

Aberlour

"One of the best Speysides you can buy; enormous - but not unbalancing - amounts of sherry, buckets of fruit, layers and weaves of spiciness, all of it silkily burnished"

Talisker "exudes a lazy, pungent smoky peatiness backed up by a sudden landslide of flavours which wouldn't be out of place in a curry... a bit of a tube-clearer"

Highland Park

"Smoky, sweet and opulent, filled to bursting with spicy fruits and a long, hazily luxuriant and powerful finish"