With Alcoholica Esoterica Ian Lendler has assembled a dizzying and fascinating array of facts and tidbits from the early and present history of drinking, spirits, and cocktails. From the first page’s warning to the reader about becoming Cliff Clavin to the last page enumerating the definitions and etymologies of ‘tumbler’ and the phrase ‘wet your whistle’, the book is a page-turner for anyone remotely interested in the history, character, humor, and humanity involved in the pursuit of drinking and drinking well.

The book covers a very broad set of subjects touching not only on the technical aspects and history of alcohol production and advances in their various forms but also in the social and personal implications these advances had. Every major category of spirit, liqueur, booze, hooch, and temperance movement is covered with at least a smattering of attention; often with humorous results. For example, when discussing ‘dandy facts’ about champagne, Lendler notes:

“After defeating Napoleon, the British banished him to the island of St. Helena. To further the punishment, Napoleon was allowed only one bottle of champagne per day.  This was clearly too barbarous for English nobleman Sir Walter Scott, who protested that it was cruel to deny the fallen Frenchman the “solace of intoxication.”"

It seems in this book there’s an interesting gem such as that on every other page and the pages in between are informative and illuminating in how alcohol is manufactured and its impact throughout history.

I have only two minor complaints with this book which are that the flow between topics is sometimes very shaky and awkward which makes the book feel less a whole than a compendium of slapped-together factoids, and that the first-half of the book seems to be more fleshed-out and even-keeled than subjects in the latter-half. The segments on beer and wine at the beginning feel much more thoroughly researched and hefty than, for example, those on liqueur and cocktails; topics which I feel there is plenty of subject-matter, resources, and interest in to warrant more attention and depth.

However, it’s a fine addition to just about any cocktailian’s library as I’m almost certain at least a large part of the information within is not contained in other sources necessarily at your disposal. And while the content sometimes feels and smacks of something less than academic and indubitable in its research, if you’re that worried about that and it’s ruining your fun, then you should really go and have another drink. Clicking under ‘Drinkage’ to your left should get you well on your way.

Alcoholica Esoterica Rating: