Vrijheid en whisky | Stijn Hiers

Vrijheid en whisky; De Geschiedenis van Schotland in 101 whisky’s by Stijn Hiers is an original Dutch-language whisky book in which Scottish history and whisky come together in an accessible way.

Hiers tells the story of Scotland and its people, from the earliest times to the present day. The struggle for identity, freedom and independence runs through the book, with figures such as the Picts, William “Braveheart” Wallace, Bonnie Prince Charles, Rob Roy, Douglas Haig and the Vikings.

The author uses whisky labels as windows onto history. More than 150 old and newer labels each show a fragment of Scotland’s past, with the opposite page explaining the story behind it. In this way, whisky, art, culture and national identity are playfully connected.

The role of whisky itself in Scottish history is also explored. Battles were fought for and through whisky, trade was shaped by it, and identity was formed around it. This makes the book not a classic tasting guide, but a story-driven book about whisky as part of Scotland’s cultural memory.

Especially interesting is the link with Flanders and the Netherlands. Hiers shows how Flemish knights, kilt production, Scottish burghs and the Dutch king William II left their traces in the Scottish story. A fine whisky gift for lovers of Scotland, history, labels and culture.

Book Details
Language: Dutch
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 224
Author: Stijn Hiers
ISBN / barcode: 9789082108002
Weight: 0.6 kg
Publication year: 2013
Subject: Scottish history, 101 whiskies, whisky labels, freedom, Scotland, whisky and culture