Of course, you will want to pick up a copy of the books for your own collection as well!

James Waller, author of: “Drinkology: The Art and Science of the Cocktail,” has a new book that is hot off the presses that will help even budding wine enthusiasts sound like seasoned oenophiles, entitled, “Drinkology WINE A Guide to the Grape,” with a contribution by Elizabeth Aldrich, illustrations by Glenn Wolff and is published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang in New York.

Mr. Waller guides the reader through “Drinkology WINE A Guide to the Grape,” providing interesting information on such topics as learning the proper wine vocabulary, instructions on how to taste wine (the swirl, sniff, sip, etc), the history of wine, the various types of wine, all written with humor and style that kept me enthralled from cover to cover.

If you are looking for a gift for your favorite Bartender, barmaid, bar chef, bar star, barkeep, cocktailian, mixologist or whatever name you or your favorite person behind the bar uses, “Mixologist, The Journal of the American Cocktail” published annually by Mixellany, an imprint of Jared Brown, is an amusing and informative book that would definitely be a hit.

A host of stars in the spirits world (Jared Brown, Paul Clarke, Lowell Edmunds, Phil Greene, Ted Haigh, Robert Hess, Anistatia Miller, Darcy O’Neil, Gary Regan, Audrey Saunders and David Wondrich) contributed to “Mixologist, The Journal of the American Cocktail”. The book not only provides the colorful history behind your favorite cocktails, (which more often than not have several people claiming to have created the recipe), but more importantly, the book also includes the recipes. I never found studying history more interesting! Portions of the profits of this book benefit the Museum of the American Cocktail.

© December 2005. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com. All rights reserved.