Distilled: A Natural History of Spirits

Written by Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall

Narrated by Asa Siegel

An imaginative natural history survey of the wide world of spirits, from whiskey and gin to grappa and moonshine

In this follow-up book to A Natural History of Wine and A Natural History of Beer, authors Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall yet again use alcoholic beverages as a lens through which to gain a greater appreciation of natural history.

This volume considers highly alcoholic spirits in the context of evolution, ecology, history, primatology, molecular biology, physiology, neurobiology, chemistry, and even astrophysics. DeSalle and Tattersall address historical and cultural aspects and ingredients, the distillation process, and spirits and their effects. They also call on an international group of colleagues to contribute chapters on brandy, vodka, tequila, whiskies, gin, rum, eaux-de-vie, schnapps, baiju, grappa, ouzo, and cachaça.

Covering beverages from across the globe and including descriptions of the experience of tasting each drink, this book offers an accessible and comprehensive exploration of the scientific dimensions of spirits.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: May 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9798765012741

Rob DeSalle

Rob DeSalle is a curator in the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics and a professor at the Richard Gilder Graduate School at the American Museum of Natural History. He is the author or coauthor of several books including The Science of Jurassic Park and the Lost World and Welcome to the Microbiome: Getting to Know the Trillions of Bacteria and Other Microbes In, On, and Around You.