By the Smoke and the Smell

Praise

“The most intriguing and best-written spirits book of the year.”
—Wayne Curtis, The Wall Street Journal

“Vogler’s stories are heartfelt, wise and moving … “
—The New York Times Book Review

“Turns out that cocktail whisperer Thad Vogler, the owner of San Francisco’s acclaimed drinking dens Bar Agricole and Trou Normand, has a secret talent: He can write.”
—Smithsonian.com, Ten Best Books About Food of 2017

“And for me, a reader who is interested in spirits, but certainly not an expert, and someone who is deeply concerned with the consolidation and craft of food in general, the book was revelatory and thought-provoking. Perhaps most memorably, Vogler’s prose is stunningly beautiful — at times heartfelt, at times heart-breaking, always exhilarating. I wish I could write like that. This was my favorite book this year.”
— Paolo Lucchesi, San Francisco Chronicle

“It’s apparently not enough that Thad Vogler runs two of the best cocktail programs in the nation. With this book, he proves he’s also a talented writer and storyteller. A necessary book at a critical time, By the Smoke & the Smell is principled, impassioned, frank, funny and more than a little cranky, and all the better for it.”
— Robert Simonson, author of A Proper Drink

“I have always admired Thad and his purist’s pursuit of artisan-made spirits. He is an explorer at heart, and a natural-born teacher we all can learn from.” 
—Alice Waters

“By the Smoke & the Smell is Adventures on the Wine Route on a globe-trotting bender. Vogler’s journey offers a timely, passionate counter to the commercialism that has threatened to disconnect the spirits we drink from the people, agricultural products, and places they come from. It is a raw look at the business of spirits and the real meaning of ‘artisanship,’ and a must-read for anyone in search of a truer taste of the world’s great distillates.”
—Talia Baiocchi, editor-in-chief of PUNCH

“To read [By the Smoke & the Smell] is to see someone born to play the role of a tippling philosophy professor. It’s a raw, earthy tale, full of references to the inebriation, vomit, and sex that punctuated Vogler’s travels as a bar owner, bartender, and erstwhile bouncer.”
—San Francisco Magazine

“From Cognac to Cuba, and Scotland to Kentucky, Volger’s travelogue provides insights into the people behind the bottles, and his own adventures along his path of discovery.”
—Forbes.com

“Restaurateur Vogler, who owns the San Francisco establishments Trou Normand and Bar Agricole, is an expert on responsibly sourced and grower-produced spirits, and with this memoir, he makes an impressive debut as an author.”
—San Jose Mercury News

“The most eye-opening spirits book of the year is easily By the Smoke and the Smell …”
—Plate