Raw Spirit

“It does what every good book should manage to do, and what a hundred other books on whisky (and a thousand other books on Scotland) have signally failed to do: makes you want to go for a drink with the author.”

Observer

“Studded with bracing shots of pure insight and eloquence. And he's sound on the scotch as well.”

Independent

“A very readable and hugely informative book, and Bank’s gentle humour permeates the pages.”

Time Out

“It’s an engaging piece of work, part love letter, part memoir.”

Esquire

“A very beguiling fusion of memoir, history and current affairs.”

Glasgow Herald

“A beautifully realised fusion of travelogue, social commentary and drinking guide. Scotland's most famous export is decanted into full-bodied, humorous prose.”

Independent on Sunday

“A voyage that a malt connoisseur of any level will find as enticing and as warming as that first sip of the nectar that has a history as rugged and unpredictable as Scotland’s enticing and formidable terrain.”

The AND Guide

“Fiery, variegated, and full of delicious moments.”

Literary Review

“Banks' finely-honed sense of place make you want to get on a train, head to the Highlands and never come back.”

Arena

“Raw Spirit charts its own course through the social landscapes of everywhere from Skye to Lothian, where obscure distilleries compete against the world-famous, with a wide cast of characters bringing them - and the liquor - to life.”

Wanderlust