The Impossible Collection of Whiskey, The Ultimate Collection (book)

This post is also available in: Français (French)

The Impossible Collection of Whiskey, The Ultimate Collection (book) by Clay Risen. Publisher: Assouline. Brand new, 212-page book with over 150 illustrations. Handcrafted limited edition in a luxury wooden slipcase. Extra-large dimensions: Extra-large size: W 17.9 x L 20 x D 3.5 inches. Weight: 25 lb. Presented in a wooden slipcase with wrought iron trim, inspired by an authentic whiskey barrel, this addition to the “Impossible Collection” may well be the most remarkable volume published to date.

Whether served neat, on the rocks, or mixed in a cocktail, whiskey is often considered the world’s finest spirit. On paper, it may seem simple—water and grain, fermented by yeast, then aged in wooden barrels—but whiskey is much more than its physical ingredients. In the Middle Ages, Europeans called it aqua vitae, or “water of life,” a name that speaks to the cultural, social, and historical significance of this spirit.

In “The Impossible Collection of Whiskey,” bestselling spirits author Clay Risen traces the history of this legendary drink and invites readers to visit some of the world’s most famous distilleries and their finest bottles.

From the finest Scotch from the Scottish Highlands to the finest Kentucky Bourbon, Risen’s selection of 100 exceptional whiskies is drawn from long-standing producers and pioneers of the craft distilling movement that has spread worldwide. Here are whiskies selected not only for their exquisite flavor, but also for their rarity, age, flavor, and innovation. Bottles from countries where the whisky market is still nascent, such as India and the Czech Republic, sit alongside American classics like Pappy Van Winkle and some of the rarest and most coveted bottles on the market.

Risen marvels at bottles like the Midleton Very Rare 45 Year Old Irish Whiskey, the oldest and most expensive Irish whiskey in the world. Together, these 100 bottles constitute a collection of whiskeys so exclusive that it would be impossible to bring them all together under one roof. A must-have for any true whisky connoisseur’s library, The Impossible Collection of Whiskey is a carefully crafted tribute to a liquor long revered as “the water of life.”

Many of the images in our Ultimate Collection are printed on separate sheets of premium art paper and individually hand-applied to each page. This artisanal process can sometimes result in the appearance of uneven alignment.

Feel free to check out the additional photos at the top left, thank you!

If you prefer to pay in euros, =before= you start ordering, you must click on the word “Français” in orange, under the main photo above, which will redirect you to the same description in French and payment in Euros.