• An overview of the different types of whiskeys, including the rules and identities of each. He also includes information on craft whiskeys, which tend to be more creative and freewheeling than the styles made by traditional producers.
• Exploration of the key whiskey ingredients, with a close look at the flavor contributions of malt, peat, corn, rye, wheat—even water matters.
• Distillation for non-distillers and the beauty of barrels: Whiskey is both an art and a science, and what's in the glass is affected by things like pot stills vs. column stills, barrel char, and of course, time. 
• Numerous interviews with master distillers, still makers, and other artisans at the top of their field.
• Tasting notes throughout so you can identify the whiskeys you might want to try next.

Lew Bryson has been writing about beer and spirits full-time since 1995. He was the managing editor of Whisky Advocate from 1996 through 2015. He is currently a Senior Drinks Writer for the Daily Beast, and also writes for ScotchWhisky.com, Artisan Spirit, and Bourbon+.

Bryson is the author of Whiskey Master Class as well as Tasting Whiskey. He has also written four regional brewery guidebooks from Stackpole Books: Pennsylvania Breweries; New York Breweries; Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Breweries; and New Jersey Breweries (with Mark Haynie). He was selected as the 2008 winner of the Michael Jackson Beer Journalism Award (Trade and Specialty Beer Media). He has served as a judge for both the American Craft Spirits Association and the Great American Beer Festival.

Lew Bryson lives north of Philadelphia with his wife and two Welsh Corgis.