# Is "Raw Spirit" by Iain Banks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Raw Spirit by Iain Banks (Century, 2003) is identified by: Nonfiction whisky travelogue, full title Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram. UK Century hardcover (2003) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Nonfiction whisky travelogue, full title Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram
- Century UK hardcover; copyright page states first publication in 2003 by Century, with the first-impression number line including 1
- Priced dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Century
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Iain Banks |
| Publisher | Century |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Nonfiction whisky travelogue, full title Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Nonfiction whisky travelogue, full title Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram. Century UK hardcover; copyright page states first publication in 2003 by Century, with the first-impression number line including 1. Priced dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
UK Century hardcover (2003) is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Raw Spirit* by Iain Banks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/raw-spirit
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.