As it is finally time to retire the tired, exhausted cosmo, spirit drinkers are returning to the era of pre-prohibition drinks.

Think of the suddenly popular bourbon, scotch, the rapper-chic cognac and sipping tequilas. With a greater interest in spirits comes an appreciation of their history, and telling their stories in such a beguiling way is local author Mark Spivak. He’s written a just-released book titled “Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History” (Lyons Press, $16.95), which tells the surprising tale of twelve iconic spirits.

Spivak, who lives in Boca Raton, is well known to readers for his popular NPR show, “Uncorked,” and for his extensive wine writing throughout South Florida. It took him less than six months to write Iconic Spirits — and it all began when he was musing over the mysteries of Campari one day.

“I was thinking how strange it was because here you have something that was marketed as one of the sexiest things on earth, but our bodies are telling us not to drink it – our taste receptors are telling us not to drink it,” Spivak said on a recent day during an interview in West Palm Beach. “Our brain is saying, ‘Don’t drink this because it might kill you,’ but it’s being marketed as one of the sexiest things around.”

From there, the book was born. His agent sold it in 23 days. It was written in less than six months, and – if you’re as addicted to it as I am — you’ll finish it in less than a week. The chapters are absolutely, well, intoxicating.

Not to give too much away, but just to whet your appetite, here are a few interestingbits you’ll read about in the book:

1. How Sidney Frank, founder of Grey Goose, created the premium liquor market.

“Prior to Grey Goose, spirits were just booze,” Spivak said. “Grey Goose was the first super premium spirit. What it did was lend an aura of connoisseurship, which was something that had previously been reserved for wine drinkers.”

2. The Gin Craze in London proved to be the greatest craze of mass drunkenness (my favorite story).

“In the morning, streets would be lined with corpses of those who had died the night before from alcoholism,” Spivak said. “It threatened the British Empire.”

3. Jean Paul DeJoria, the owner of Patron Tequila, grew up in foster care, participated in a street gang and was homeless twice in his life. He is now 66 on the Forbes list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. (He also started John Paul Mitchell Systems, incidentally.)

“There’s a very strong thread of entrepreneurship that runs through all these stories,” Spivak said. “It takes a very special person to create something from nothing.”

4. What bootlegging, moonshine and the birth of NASCAR have in common. To explore this thread, Spivak visited race car driver Junior Johnson.

“That was a very powerful experience going up there and sitting down with him,” Spivak said. “It was a real slice of history. All the early drivers were bootleggers – they hauled moonshine out with their cars.”

5. Absinthe’s popularity and its representation as the most evil and dangerous beverage in France. (You’ve seen the posters.)

“It was once regarded as the most dangerous substance on earth – I called it the LSD of the 19th century,” Spivak said. “If you even consumed a couple of shots of it you’d be on the downward spiral of insanity and death.”

PRESENT DAY SPIRITS

I asked Spivak what delicious, bargain spirit he might recommend for those exploring the spirit world.

“I’m a big fan of Canadian Whisky, which I think is the Rodney Dangerfield of whiskey because mixologists have not picked up on it,” he said. “It’s as if it doesn’t even exist – it’s sort of fallen off the radar.”

He suggests Canadian Club 12-year-old or Canadian Club Sherry Cask.

In this, the new age of bourbon, I asked what he thought are the best bourbons on the market. He recommends the Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon ($24.99 at Total Wine), or Angel’s Envy ($48.99).

“One of the most remarkable bourbon’s I’ve had in a long time,” Spivak said of Angel’s Envy. He also recommends Booker 7-year ($57.99) and Blanton’s Bourbon ($54.99), also available at Total Wine.

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MEET MARK SPIVAK

The author of “Iconic Spirits” will sign copies of the book on Friday December 7 at The French Wine Merchant, at 139 North County Road (in the Paramount building), Palm Beach; www.TheFrenchWineMerchant.com.

For reservations, email thefrenchwinemerchant@gmail.com, or call 561-833-7712

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

“Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History” is available on Amazon.com or at IconicSpirits.net.

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MARK’S MANHATTAN RECIPE

When it comes to a Manhattan, Mark’s a picky, picky man. But after researching spirits for six months straight he’s learned exactly what he likes in a drink. Here’s what he had to say:

“Being a whiskey drinker, I’m more or less in search of the ultimate Manhattan. I now realize that I’m never going to find it in a bar, because I’ve come to believe that the best proportion of whiskey to vermouth is 4:1. You’re not likely to find a 4:1 Manhattan in a bar, because whiskey costs more than vermouth, and most bars are under pressure to retail drinks for less than $12 and still make money. So the best Manhattan is the one you make for yourself, at home. The relationship between the two main ingredients varies: 80 proof whiskies will call for a more mellow vermouth (Noilly Prat, Martini & Rossi, etc.), while 90-100 proof whiskies demand a more substantial, richer vermouth (Cocchi or Carpano). If I had to drink one version of this cocktail at the moment, this would be it.”

2 ounces Whistle Pig Rye

1/2 ounce Cocchi Vermouth de Torino

2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

Orange zest

Fill a large rocks glass with ice. Add the bitters first, so they permeate the ice cubes.

Add the whiskey and vermouth. Cut a generous orange zest and squeeze it into the drink to liberate the essential oils.

Stir gently several dozen times, but do not shake.