The world of mixology is a fusion of art, science, and a passion for fine drinking. A journey that goes beyond the simple preparation of a cocktail. It is a universe where creativity, technique, and knowledge of ingredients intertwine to bring the art of fine drinking to life. Here is a curated collection of books on the subject.
A Letto con gli spiriti – Oscar Quagliarini Tecniche Nuove
Oscar Quagliarini has been working behind the bar since 1997, and this book gathers decades of practice: it places trends in context, tells the stories behind cocktails, and recalls the characters of the night. Sergio Gerasi contributes the illustrations.
Book Club: A Most Noble Water – Anistatia Miller e Jared Brown Mixellany Limited
Gin doesn’t trace its roots back to the Netherlands — it’s a genuinely and unapologetically English spirit. That’s the conclusion reached by Miller and Brown, following extensive and well-documented historical research, complete with original recipes to back it up.
Atlante del rum – Luca Gargano, Edizioni Lswr
Luca Gargano takes readers by the hand on a journey through 17 Caribbean islands, exploring their history, culture, and the unique rums they produce. Along the way, the journey is enriched with anecdotes, cocktail recipes, and detailed technical notes, offering everything needed for a mindful tasting experience.
Bar-Tender’s Guide – Jerry Thomas, Dick & Fitzgerald Publishers
Jerry Thomas “was the first voice in the world of mixed drinks, laid the groundwork we still build on today, and highlighted the importance of bartender’s craft.”
Book Club: Behind the Bar: Gin – Alia Akkam, Guido Tommasi Editore
Writer Alia Akkam documents the 50 best gin-based cocktails, sharing the bars where she tasted them and providing a wealth of additional information. Unique feature: the recipes are categorized by different moods.
Cocktail Codex – Alex Day, Nick Fauchald e David Kaplan, Ten Speed Press
Just six cocktails — no more. Mastering how they work means unlocking the rest. “A fundamental lesson in understanding the structure of a drink.”
Book Club: Cromococktail – Terry Monroe, Hoeply
In a text brimming with anecdotes and recipes, Terry Monroe guides readers step by step through the preparation of tinctures, essences, extracts, purées, and syrups — all with the goal of playing with hues and answering the question: how can a colour be transformed into a cocktail?
Difford’s Guide to Cocktails – Simon Difford, Difford’s
One of the most comprehensive recipe books available, featuring more than 3,000 cocktails and photographs: “To check how classic recipes were originally made and to discover new ones.”
Galaxy Bar Cocktails – Natasha Sideris, Krystian Hordejuk. Quivertree Publications
Conceived as a tribute to Dubai’s Galaxy Bar, the book gathers 60 signature cocktails, complete with detailed methods, plus recipes for homemade liqueurs, syrups and garnishes. The photography is by Juliet Dunne.
Genealogia delle piante – Ross Bayton e Simon Maughan, Guido Tommasi Editore
A handy, easy-to-use guide «for those new to the world of plants who need a morphological outline of raw materials from an herbalist’s point of view».
How to Drink Whiskey – Carlo DeVito Cider, Mill Press
As the subtitle suggests, this is a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about this spirit, “from grains to glasses”. Carlo Devito guides a journey through production methods, aging techniques, types of whiskey, their unique characteristics, and the distilleries worth keeping an eye on.
Book Club: How to Taste – Mandy Naglich, Kensington Books
Drawing on a wealth of personal experience and the guidance of experts, Mandy Naglich teaches how to recognise and articulate the individual flavours and aromas of a dish or a drink — even those you may never have noticed before.
Hyper drinks – Angelos Bafas
This debut book by bartender and bar manager Angelos Bafas, curated by Millie Milliken, puts the focus on hyper-local, hyper-seasonal ingredients. The philosophy is simple: work with sustainable, ethically sourced products without ever sacrificing quality for convenience.
I cocktail mondiali – Federico Mastellari, Hoepli
The latest edition of Federico Mastellari’s book is a celebration of cocktails, featuring 101 official IBA recipes, 26 noteworthy classics that didn’t make the cut but deserve recognition, and 9 signature creations. The cherry on top? A section covering the essential knowledge for bartenders.
Book Club: Imbibe! – David Wondrich, Penguin Random House
“Wondrich “rewrote the history of classic cocktails by tracking down and examining the original sources, and by telling us who did what, and in what context.”
Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs, and Juice – Toni Tipton-Martin, Penguin Random House
A book that examines two centuries of African American cookbooks and “celebrates the importance of people of color in the history of cocktail culture.”
L’arte e la scienza del foodpairing – Coucquyt, Lahousse e Langenbick, Slow Food Editore
Rooted in scientific precision, this is “a must- have book set to transform how bartenders approach ingredients and unleash their creative process”.
Book Club: La grammatica dei sapori – Niki Segnit, Gribaudo
Perfect for both beginners and seasoned pros, this book dives deep into flavor pairings. “Both Volume 1 and Volume 2 are essential foundations for crafting incredible combinations.”
La matrice dei sapori – James Briscione e Brooke Parkhurst, Bibliotheca Culinaria
An essay that delves into how flavors combine with each other based on their molecular structures. It serves as «a useful framework to follow when deciding on a mix and match».
Book Club: Le Larousse des cocktails – Fernando Castellon, Larousse
“It is an excellent compendium”: there are classic and modern recipes, tips for mastering mixing and suggestions for pairing. Plus anecdotes, stories and legendary bars.
Lo zen e l’arte del cocktail Martini – Fabio Nascimbeni, Compagnia editoriale Aliberti
Ordering, preparing, and drinking a Martini is a ritual that lifts the spirit — this is Nascimbeni’s conviction, as he shares anecdotes, reflections, and stories orbiting the king of cocktails.
l mondo del gin – Anthony Gladman Slow Food
Gin has gone from medicinal remedy to a pillar of contemporary mixology. Anthony Gladman traces that centuries- long arc, adding tasting notes, mixing advice, and profiles of standout gins from around the world.
Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail – Dave Arnold, W. W. Norton & Company
A book that sheds light on “what you’re doing, making it easier to rethink, refine, or elevate it.”
Martini, Straight Up – Lowell Edmunds, The Johns Hopkins University Press
A book dedicated to one drink (and what a drink!), its history and cultural significance. After reading it, “I started drinking Martini cocktails. Before I only made them”.
Book Club: Miscelare – Federico Mastellari e Giovanni Ceccarelli, Hoepli
Two legends of Italian mixology have authored a manual that explains how things work behind the bar — both technically insightful and effortlessly engaging.
Neurogastronomy – Gordon M. Shepherd, Columbia University Press
An innovative interdisciplinary book that examines the countless dimensions of smell: “to understand in depth how the brain perceives flavor.”
Pacha Ibiza: 50 years of happiness – Pacha
A luxurious collector’s book celebrates the first 50 years of Ibiza’s most legendary nightclub — a story that, in the words of Pacha Group chairman Kabir Mulchandani, “is not merely recorded, but preserved, safeguarded, and honoured.”
Paradiso: From Dream to Legacy – Giacomo Giannotti, Editorial Flaneu
Giannotti looks back on ten years of the renowned Barcelona bar with the energy of a dream brought to life: from his early days in the family gelato shop to building a tight-knit team, along with a series of drinks that have become part of the bar’s legacy.
Book Club: Roundbuilding (2nd Edition) – Daniel Waddy, Kevin Armstrong
Waddy and Armstrong share expert tips to help bartenders streamline their routine. That way, the first drink of the night is just as flawless as the last, no matter how busy the bar gets. Work smarter, not harder.
Rum A Tasting Course – Ian Burrell, Dorling Kindersley Ltd
Written with passion by Ian Burrell, this book offers an in-depth look at the history, styles, and production methods of rum worldwide. Designed for both aficionados and beginners, it also includes pairing suggestions and detailed tasting notes.
Setting the Table – Danny Meyer, Ecco Press
A bartender’s craft “isn’t just about cocktails and technique, but about hospitality too. Danny Meyer teaches how to be a true host — and the value of making someone else feel joy.”
Book Club: Signature Cocktails – Amanda Schuster, Phaidon
200 cocktails, both famous and lesser-known, to tell the story of 500 years of mixology. Author Amanda Schuster details the history, secrets, places, and personalities behind each drink, offering the original recipes in chronological order from 1475 to today.
Spirits dei Luoghi – Federico S. Bellanca Dario, Flaccovio Editore
Bellanca offers tales and travel itineraries across Italy through the lens of SpiriTurismo — that is, “a form of food, wine, cultural and historical tourism rooted in spirits, liqueurs, and the places where they’re made.” A rich heritage waiting to be uncovered.
Book Club: Tequila: A Tasting Course – Millie Milliken, DK
History — spanning ancient deities, wars, and bats — technical explanations (cultivation and production), and practical guidance (aromas, flavors, and tips for making Margaritas, Batangas, and more): a comprehensive book from a true agave expert.
The Bar Book. Elements of Cocktail Technique – Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Chronicle Books
Similar to Liquid Intelligence, “but written in a tone that feels more approachable to all — woven with checklists and thoughtful cues for what truly matters behind the bar.”
Book Club: The Cocktail Balance 2.0 – Stanislav Harcinik, The Cocktail Balance
A sequel volume that delves deeper into the art and science of bartending while placing the spotlight on sustainability. Harcinik speaks both to seasoned professionals and to newcomers eager to make a bold leap forward.
The Cocktail Garden – Ed Loveday Hardie, Grant Books
A collection of recipes focused on the aromas and flavors of seasonal ingredients (fruits and herbs): ≪A romantic snapshot of botany paired with the mixology world≫.
The Comic Book History of the Cocktail – David Wondrich, Ten Speed Graphic
The esteemed historian David Wondrich and illustrator Dean Kotz join forces on a graphic novel that traces five centuries of cocktails — from early beer- and wine- based mixtures to today’s refined recipes.
The Connaught Bar Recipes and Iconic Creations – Agostino Perrone, Phaidon
It’s the first cocktail book from a mixology temple, featuring 100 original recipes along with the stories that inspired them. Authored by Connaught’s legend Agostino Perrone, alongside Giorgio Bargiani, Maura Milia, and historian Anistatia Miller.
Book Club: The Craft of the Cocktail – Dale DeGroff, Clarkson Potter
“I owe DeGroff a debt of gratitude because, beyond the recipes, he brought the stories behind drinks — and the many anecdotes about their creators — into the spotlight.”
The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails – David Wondrich, Oxford University Press Inc
Wondrich approaches alcohol from a historical, anthropological and worldspanning perspective: “There’s everything in it; it’s a book that helps bartenders a lot”.
The Philosophy of Cocktails – Jane Peyton, British Library Publishing
This new release is part of a series that covers various spirits like whisky, gin, and more. The guiding philosophy is right there in the title: it’s all about the history of cocktails. Jane Peyton offers a thorough compendium, tracing the evolution of cocktails from their origins to just yesterday.
Book Club: The Savoy Cocktail Book – Harry Craddock
First published in 1930 and written by a pillar of mixology, this is a musthave book for “anyone looking to understand the history and technique behind classic cocktails.”
The Secret of Scent – Luca Turin, Ecco Press
The science of smell, explored in all its depth and nuance, conveyed in a way that makes it widely accessible. A guide to “appreciating ingredients and their compositions.”
Book Club: The Third Plate – Dan Barber, Penguin Publishing Group
Useful for “grasping the importance of raw materials,” Chef Barber’s book argues that the farm- to-table culture has failed and proposes a new way of thinking about food.
The World Atlas of Whisky – Dave Broom, Octopus Publishing Group
Now in its third edition, this compendium is regarded as a must-have for whisky enthusiasts. With the aid of maps and photographs, Dave Broom delves into the technique, history, and romance of this iconic spirit, exploring 500 distilleries from around the globe.
