The 10 Best Booze Books to Buy This Holiday Season (2025)

When the holiday season rolls around, choosing the perfect gift for the drinks lovers in our lives is no easy feat. There are endless amounts of amazing wine and spirits to choose from — not to mention the sheer amount of gadgets and stunning glassware on the market these days. But for the curious drinker looking to dive into new recipes, drinks history, and the science of taste, books are ideal companions.

Here, we dive into some of our favorite booze books published in the past year, from volumes that introduced us to brand-new wine pairings to those that took us on a classic Korean night out. Also included is the very first biography ever written on one of tequila’s most prominent figures. There’s something for everyone, from the die-hard historians to the cocktail buffs, and even the whiskey taters.

Here are 10 of the best booze books to gift in 2025.

The Japanese Way of Whisky: Japan’s Whiskies and How to Enjoy Them

Dave Broom, Octopus Publishing Group, September 2025

Dave Broom’s “The Way of Whisky: A Journey Around Japanese Whisky,” was originally published in 2017, and this newly updated version for 2025 is a must-buy for the whisky lover in your life. Accompanied by photos from Kohei Take, “The Japanese Way of Whisky” guides readers on a tour across Japan, diving into each distillery’s unique history and production philosophy through interviews with distillers and detailed tasting notes. But the book does more than simply discuss Japanese whisky — it showcases the artisans behind the bottles and the chefs and bartenders interacting with the spirit to demonstrate how it exists within Japanese culture.

Tequila Wars: José Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico

Ted Genoways, W.W. Norton & Company, May 2025

José Cuervo is undeniably the biggest name in tequila — it’s arguably responsible for putting the spirit on the map outside of Mexico. In “Tequila Wars,” journalist Ted Genoways chronicles the life of the man behind the now-iconic brand in the world’s first biography of José Cuervo. Beginning with the family’s inheriting of La Rojeña, Genoways lays out how Cuervo revolutionized tequila in his relentless pursuit of modernization before a death threat from Pancho Villa pushed him into obscurity during the Mexican Revolution. Based on research conducted in the secret archives of the Cuervo and Sauza families, “Tequila Wars” is a gripping narrative that’s equal parts entertaining and deeply informative.

In Session: Low-Proof Cocktail for High-Quality Occasions

Steven Grasse, Adam Erace, Lee Noble, Charlie Hall, Running Press Adult, November 2025

Low-ABV cocktails are all the rage these days. If you have a cocktail lover in your life looking to master the art at home, “In Session” is a great place to start. Written by brand creator and distillery owner Steven Grasse (Hendrick’s Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, The Pathfinder, and more) and journalist Adam Erace, the book shares both cocktail and food recipes all geared toward consuming less, but consuming well. All recipes are organized by occasion, with each section alongside a playlist developed by Grammy Award-winning drummer Charlie Hall. While some cocktails reimagine the classics in less boozy fashions, like the Lower Manhattan and the Carajilow, others are entirely new creations developed by Grasse and Erace. Either way, they share the same philosophy: Drinking less doesn’t have to mean drinking poorly or not drinking at all.

Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond

Cha McCoy, Harvest, November 2025

It’s a common misconception that foods prioritizing tangy, spicy, and salty flavors are hard to pair with wine — or that Riesling is the only style that will do. In her new book, “Wine Pairing for the People,” sommelier and VinePair’s 2023 Next Wave Awards Wine Professional of the Year Cha McCoy dispels those rumors, proving that cuisines from around the world can be paired with wine. McCoy takes readers on a global tour, with each section dedicated to a region — Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, and Asia — before diving into the distinct dishes and flavors of each. McCoy also discusses the local wine regions and their histories before, of course, providing accompanying wine suggestions for some of the area’s most beloved dishes. From pairing lists to recipes from celebrated chefs around the world, “Wine Pairing for the People” is an excellent guidebook to pairing wine with cuisine from regions and countries often overlooked in the world of wine.

Smart Mouth: Wine Essentials for You, Me, and Everyone We Know

Jordan Salcito, Ten Speed Press, October 2025

Former Momofuku and Eleven Madison Park sommelier and Ramona founder Jordan Salcito shares her advice for developing a more refined palate and demystifying wine in “Smart Mouth: Wine Essentials for You, Me, and Everyone We Know.” More than simply teaching readers how to taste, Salcito also takes them on a journey through the entire winemaking process to illustrate why wine tastes the way it does. She discusses various soil types and harvesting techniques, to minute decisions made in the cellar that impact the resulting wine. There’s also advice on how to approach a restaurant’s wine list while also refining how to speak about what you like to better increase your odds of ending up with a bottle you love. “Smart Mouth” is a complete guidebook, perfect for those who are just getting started on their wine journey.

The Invention of Rum: Creating the Quintessential Atlantic Commodity

Jordan B. Smith, University of Pennsylvania Press, October 2025

This book isn’t just an ideal pick for spirits buffs — it’s also a great gift for any history enthusiast in your life. Written by Widener University associate professor of history Dr. Jordan B. Smith, “The Invention of Rum” traces the 17th- and 18th-century histories of the sugar cane spirit based on extensive archival research in the Caribbean, North America, and Great Britain. Smith discusses the industry’s early reliance on plantation slavery, the overuse of natural resources, and the impacts of overconsumption in a society newly introduced to rum. The book shares the experiences of the Indigenous Caribbean peoples, enslaved Africans, and British colonists who established the industry and created a new commodity that Smith argues “transformed the Atlantic world.”

Wine Simple: Perfect Pairings: An Ingenious Guide to Enjoying Wine with Food

Aldo Sohm, Clarkson Potter, November 2025

For those in the wine world, Aldo Sohm is a household name — he’s served as sommelier and wine director at NYC’s three Michelin-starred Le Bernardin since 2007. But you don’t need to be a wine nerd to immerse yourself in his newest book, “Wine Simple: Perfect Pairings,” the highly anticipated follow-up to his 2019 release, “Wine Simple: A Totally Approachable Guide From a World-Class Sommelier.” While the book provides readers with the ideal wine pairing for a wide range of flavors, it does more than simply give recommendations. Instead, Sohm teaches wine drinkers to come up with the pairings themselves by highlighting how flavor can be deconstructed and layered, with the help of visual aids.

Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips

Kaitlyn Stewart, Ten Speed Press, October 2025

For the at-home bartender who’s always riffing on the classics, “Three Cheers” is the perfect pick. Written by bartender Kaitlyn Stewart, “Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways” offers 55 cocktails recipes made, you guessed it, three ways. Alongside each drink’s classic spec, Stewart shares a recipe with an inventive twist, as well as one that’s entirely non-alcoholic. There are cocktails like the Whiskey Smash (and its NA counterpart) paired up with Stewart’s variation, a Rum Smash made with peach liqueur and fresh peach slices, as well as an Espresso Martini with a chili-spiked spin. It’s a cocktail book that has something to offer for everyone, even if they don’t drink any alcohol at all.

The Comic Book History of the Cocktail: Five Centuries of Mixing Drinks and Carrying On

David Wondrich, Dean Kotz, Ten Speed Graphic, September 2025

Reading about the history of the cocktail is interesting, but reading and visualizing that history is arguably better. And there’s no one better to regale the tale than cocktail historian David Wondrich. To do so, Wondrich teamed up with illustrator Dean Kotz to trace the history of mixed drinks all the way back to ancient wassail and hypocras, early forms of the cocktail based with wine and beer. From there, the two take us on an express trip through the Age of Exploration, Enlightenment, Prohibition, and the Disco Era, concluding with the modern cocktail revival. Throughout the book, Wondrich shares 30 cocktail recipes alongside the chronicles, including historically accurate versions of classics and a few specs that have perhaps been unfairly forgotten to time.

Soju Party: How to Drink (and Eat!) Like a Korean

Irene Yoo, Knopf Publishing Group, September 2025

For a nearly complete guide to Korean nightlife, look no further than Irene Yoo’s “Soju Party.” In the book, the chef and co-owner of Brooklyn’s Orion Bar delves into all aspects of Korean drinking culture, sharing everything from classic and original cocktails (hello, Jujube Ginseng Negroni) to recipes for Korean bar snacks like White Tteokbokki with Kimchi Carbonara, and Chimaek Chicken. There are also sections on social rituals, proper pouring etiquette, traditional Korean drinking games, and even hangover cures for when you’ve had one maekju too many.

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