A Reading List for Lovers of Spirits and Cocktails

Mixologists and experts list their favourite books, from travel tales to alcohol encyclopedias

- Priyanko Sarkar

Jerry Thomas' Bartenders Guide (1862) is widely considered the first-ever cocktail book to be published, followed by The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. Both catered to fellow bartenders and simply featured recipes with no real style or structure. David Embury's The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (1948) was the first book to give readers a chance to peruse and appreciate a cocktail book.

Even today, spirit aficionados and experts agree there is no fixed approach to reading about spirits and cocktails. The best way to get started is to dip your toes in what interests you, whether it's cocktail history, a deep dive into a spirit of your choice or picking inspiring memoirs, and take it from there.