A Sense of Place

2023 Spirited Awards Top 4 Finalist forBest New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits

A personal journey exploring Scotch whiskey through its terroir, including the land, weather, history, craft and culture that feeds and enhances the whisky itself.

"Mr. Broom, who was born in Glasgow and has been writing about spirits for decades, is the perfect author for this beautiful, evocative book. He knows the whisky territory intimately and the people well, and he has the senses of wonder, empathy and history to tie them altogether, as well as the skill to conjure up the smell of the salt air, the sound of barley shimmering in the wind, the vibrations of hammers shaping copper into stills and the singe of the oak staves as a cooper bends them over fire...With beautiful photography by Christina Kernohan, this is the book to give any lover of single malt, along with a bottle of their favorite whisky." The Year's Best Books on Wine (and Whisky), The New York Times

"Beautifully written and illustrated." Fiona Beckett, the Guardian

"This is an engaging, humane and important book. I cannot recommend it too strongly." Charlie MacLean Keeper Magazine

"A Sense of Place blends pin-sharp writing with evocative photography in a book to savour and treasure." - Ian Rankin

"A book so beautifully tweedy I actually want to wear it as a hat. I am very glad it includes a map as Dave's authoritative guide has given me many great whisky-holiday ideas." Damian Barr

"Dave Broom's whisky odyssey is in many ways a story of Scotland and the questions we face....Like a good dram, it's complex, and Dave makes an excellent guide... Christina Kernohan's beautiful photographs of the places and people featured in the book add texture and vibrancy to the stories: a window into the distilleries and lives of the craftspeople." Best of Scotland

"Few can match [Broom's] ability to blend together critical thinking, insight and industry knowledge while giving the resulting mix a romantic twist." Whisky Magazine

In this beautifully crafted narrative, award-winning writer Dave Broom examines Scotch whisky from the point of view of its terroir - the land, weather, history, craft and culture that feed and enhance the whisky itself. Travelling around his native Scotland and visiting distilleries from Islay and Harris to Orkney and Speyside, Dave explores the whiskies made there and the elements in their distilling, and locality, which make them what they are. Along the way he tells the story of whisky's history and considers what whisky is now, and where it is going.

With stunning specially commissioned photography by Christina Kernohan, A Sense of Place will enhance and deepen every whisky drinker's understanding of just what is in their glass.