My copy of Whiskey & Philosophy has arrived!

Today's post has brought me my copy of Whiskey & Philosophy: A Small Batch of Spirited Ideas edited by Fritz Allhoff and Marcus P. Adams with a foreword by Charles MacLean (John Wiley & Sons: October 2009; 384 pages; $21.95).

This is the latest in the "X (foodstuffs) & Philosophy" series by Allhoff, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Western Michigan University. I have off and on been reading through, and enjoying, his previous two entries Wine & Philosophy: A Symposium on Thinking and Drinking (Wiley-Blackwell, October 2007; 328 pages; $21.95) and Food & Philosophy: Eat, Think, and Be Merry (co-edited with Dave Monroe; Wiley-Blackwell, October 2007; 320 pages; $21.95).

As I've only just gotten it, I can't post much beyond that it looks wide ranging and sports an impressive roster of contributors, including, beyond the serious academic philosopher that most whisky drinkers will have never heard of, Ian Buxton, David Wishart, Prof. Mark H. Waymack (philosophy prof at Loyola and co-author of 1992's thoroughly readable Single-Malt Whiskies of Scotland: For the Discriminating Imbiber), and the generally brilliant and always immensely readable Andrew Jefford.

Topics include: the history and culture, beauty and experience, metaphysics and epistemology, and ethics of whiskey, as well as a section on "whisky: a sense of place."

I hope to report back soon with some considered judgements.