Whether raising a glass of fine champagne or sipping a humble buttermilk, these historical figures show us that the joy of a favored drink is a timeless pleasure. Throughout history, the personal preferences of influential figures have often piqued the curiosity of the public. From the clothes they wore to the food they ate, every detail is scrutinized and discussed. Among these details, the favorite drinks of historical figures stand out, offering a glimpse into their personal tastes and the social customs of their time. The father of Gonzo journalism was an iconic figure in the counter-culture.
- As a Navy man himself, Nixon most enjoyed the chain’s Navy Grog, a heady mix of rums, grapefruit juice, honey syrup and seltzer.
- But you can likely expect them to be slightly more elevated for a modern audience.
- In September, he shared a positive update by uploading a picture of his party drink which very noticeably contained 0.0% alcohol content.
- He regularly replenished his supply of whiskey by buying ten gallons of the stuff at a time, and newspapers from the era frequently refer to Buchanan's seemingly superhuman ability to drink without getting drunk.
- Johnson was transporting a group of reporters in the car at the time, and he threw his hat over the speedometer in a weak attempt to disguise his reckless driving.
Elizabeth Taylor
- She notes that it’s the perfect drink for summer but can be enjoyed any time of year thanks to its delicious flavor.
- Going against Camelot’s classy reputation, the Daiquiri served in the White House in 1960 was not the most refined variation.
- To that end, he spent most of his life attempting to grow various vines at his Monticello estate, dreaming that it would one day catch on.
Additionally, Wild Turkey, a Kentucky bourbon, was the one kind of whiskey he swore for over a decade. For mixing instructions, he suggested stirring it all in a pitcher, and "if you get it too potent, dilute with more tomato juice,e. If it lacks power, add more vodka." This cocktail was invented by Ernest himself, sharing a name with the author's classic treatise on bullfighting. Drink too many of these during the day, and you might not make it to the evening. While the basic Daiquiri might be more classic, the Hemingway Daiquiri is certainly more storied.
Martini
“People strayed away from these cocktails because they knew it was canned lychee and artificial syrups. Eventually, he even started to sneak drinks on the set, disguised as water in a paper cup. In July 2023, the Spider-Man actor (currently starring in the AppleTV+ series The Crowded Room) talked about his challenges in the past with alcohol and his current sobriety on the podcast On Purpose With Jay Shetty. … It really scared me.” He decided to keep going with his sobriety, although he found socializing and hanging out with certain friend groups especially difficult, according to the Guardian. Bradley Cooper got sober at the age of 29 after spending years dealing with a drug and alcohol addiction behind closed doors. Ben Affleck publicly struggled with alcohol abuse for years and was infamously brought to rehab by his ex-wife Jennifer Garner in 2018 after she held an intervention for him.
In exploring the favorite drinks of these famous personalities, we not only satisfy our curiosity about their personal tastes but also gain insight into the social and cultural contexts that shaped their lives. Moving from the world of politics to the realm of literature, Ernest Hemingway, the American novelist known for his adventurous lifestyle and robust prose, had an equally robust taste in drinks. His fondness for the mojito is well-documented, with the Floridita bar in Havana, Cuba, being one of his favorite haunts. The mojito’s refreshing combination of white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint perfectly complemented Hemingway’s love for the tropical climes and his larger-than-life persona. By the age of 30, Alexander the Great had created one of the largest empires in the history of the world. Undefeated in battle, he is one of the greatest ever-military commanders in history.
Stephen King
This robust drink was a popular choice in colonial America and was even used to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Washington’s own distillery at Mount Vernon produced whiskey, but it was Madeira that graced his table during important occasions. Transitioning to the world of science, the brilliant mind of Albert Einstein also had its own liquid preferences.
Warren G. Harding
D’Ussé Cognac is a luxurious spirit co-owned by Jay-Z that has been making waves in the Cognac industry since its launch in 2012. It competes with established brands thanks to its meticulous aging process, which follows requirements set by French law. “The Silver variant is unaged and has a crisp and clean taste, while the Reposado and Añejo are aged for six and months, respectively, in American oak barrels for a smooth and complex taste, ” she notes. Like many Russians of his generation, Yeltsin considered beer a soft drink, preferring instead vodka, bourbon and red wine, which he believed protected Russian submariners from radiation. He once felt severe discomfort in his back after drinking an entire amphora of undiluted wine, commonly referred to as the "Cup of Hercules", which is over 5 liters of pure wine.
I haven’t included any celebrity beers, sakes, meads, hard seltzers, canned cocktails, or wines, though there are some good ones, like Kyle MacLachlan’s Pursued by Bear. At the time, wine was not especially in favor of the U.S., so he imported whatever 11 famous heavy drinkers in history their favorite drinks he could. His favorite wine of all was white hermitage, a concoction he declared to be the very best in the world.
Ernest Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) is a literary legend that is a testament to drinking. When he decides to drink with someone, it will always be with his editor. He has always been quite scared miserable, and suffered from various phobias throughout his life. Bukowski was a novelist, poet and short-story writer, who is regarded as being the ‘laureate of American lowlife’. In his younger years he was a bar frequenter, but in later years he preferred to drink at home. Though by his own admission he suffered three hundred hangovers a year, Bukowski never quit the habit.
The sleek packaging, solid marketing, and strong brand identity make Bumbu one of the best celebrity-owned rums. One of our favorite celebrity whiskey brands is Wild Turkey Longbranch Bourbon, a brainchild of master distiller Eddie Russell and Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, the brand’s creative director. However, they also love to make cocktails when entertaining guests and friends. Keanu Reeves, star of ‘The Matrix,’ prefers a classier choice with red wine. The first is an Australian Shiraz, Penfolds Grange 1971, while the second is a Cabernet Blend, Mount Mary Vineyard Quintet 1990.
We have all bragged once or twice about the amount of tequila we had the night before, or how much we partied one summer. Then there are those of us who simply have drinking genes, the ones who were born to drink. Califano notes that, in general, the president also liked to finish the day with a glass of scotch. However, he finally slowed down and stopped completely when anxiety about Vietnam War started to get to him.