By the smoke & the smell My search for the rare and sublime on the spirits trail

j You can learn practical things from this book - like how to smell Cognac. If you dip your nose in the glass the way you sniff wine, you'll overwhelm the olfactory cells linked to your taste buds. Bring the spirit only close enough so you can just sense the aroma, appreciating its qualities from a distance. There's nothing distant or pedantic, however, about Vogler's bracing, deeply personal narrative of his travels through the homelands of Calvados, Cognac, Armagnac, rum, scotch and mezcal, in search of the soul of those spirits. The author is the owner of Bar Agricole - a restaurant with perhaps the most exacting standards for spirits in San Francisco - and has ambitions for the book beyond aesthetics. The adventures he and his drinking companions share in search of liquid truth are argonautic, with sleepless labors in France, labyrinthine exertions in Cuba and one near cataclysmic encounter in Mexico. He cites a friend who describes the magic of the drinks they seek: "That's why they call them spirits. They are freed to the heavens in the form of vapor, an escaped essence, only to be recaptured and brought back to earth." Vogler's stories are heartfelt, wise and moving, if occasionally overwrought. He is particularly worked up about human greed. The tragic theme he repeats is of the consolidation of small distilleries bought up by soulless corporations. It's an infernal reversal of the biblical begats as scores of artisanal enterprises with names out of poetry are swallowed - big gulp by big gulp - by giants who turn them into brands bereft of authenticity.

San Francisco bar owner Vogler brings readers along with him (and colleagues or even family) as he prospects for new sources of artisanal spirits and revisits favored distillers. The book is similar to others wherein authors visit wineries and breweries, but Vogler's focus on such products as brandies, whiskies, and rums makes this offering unique. What also distinguishes the narrative is the greater emphasis on the author's experiences and his travels rather than the liquors. The writing is personal, blunt, and even pungent in its critical assessment of people, places, and events. Vogler and his colleagues aren't always likable, but there will be many who find that refreshing. For those wanting to read more about distillers and distilling, however, this may not be the best starting point. Verdict A peek into the world of distilleries but somewhat limited in breadth, depth, and appeal.-Peter Hepburn, Coll. of the Canyons Lib., Santa Clarita, CA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.