Whiskey lovers: you’ll be happy to know that you’re not alone in your passion for brown liquor. Celebrated writers, politicians, athletes and philosophers have long enjoyed this glorious libation and credit the simple pleasure for bringing more to life, no matter how famous you are. Ready to pour a glass right now? Below are ten of our favorite whiskey drinkers.
Frank Sinatra
Did you know that Frank Sinatra was buried with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 with him? The legendary distiller even released a bottle in honor of Ol’ Blue Eyes called Sinatra Select. Sinatra’s most famous quote about whiskey was “Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.”
Mark Twain
If you’re a true whiskey fan, you’ve probably seen the quote, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” Those words belong to Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known by his pen name, Mark Twain, renowned for his books The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Sir Winston Churchill
Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill credits whiskey for being a key to a better life. While fighting for his country he famously said, “When I was a young subaltern in the South African War, the water was not fit to drink. To make it palatable, we had to add whisky. By diligent effort, I learned to like it.”
Ava Gardner
Screen siren and all-around Hollywood beauty Ava Gardner loved whiskey so much she wanted it to be part of her dying wish. “I wish to live to 150 years old, but the day I die, I wish it to be with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other,” she said. Here’s hoping at least part of her wish came true when she died at age 67.
William Faulkner
Want the cure for writer’s block? Writer and famous author of The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner, has a suggestion. “My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food and a little whisky.” We can get behind that trick of the trade!
Christina Hendricks
There’s no more iconic “whiskey as a way of life” television set than Mad Men. Therefore, Christina Hendricks naturally developed a true passion for the spirit. In fact, she became such a huge fan that she even gained an appreciation for its blending process. Life imitates art!
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson was famous for two things: penning his novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and drinking everything in sight. But his lifelong love was whisky. “I am a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow―to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whiskey, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested,” he once said.
Lady Gaga
Who knew that Lady Gaga was such a fan of Jameson Irish Whiskey? During a concert in Ireland, she dedicated a song to “my longtime boyfriend Jameson,” who was “always there when I need him.” She then went on to say that she’s made so much of her music with Jameson and that the spirit has inspired some of her biggest hits.
Clark Gable
Clark Gable was one of the most celebrated American actors of all time who shared an effusive love of whiskey. He was even one of the first celebrities to endorse Jim Beam in the mid-1970s. There were also occasions where he would play pranks on his fellow actors by swapping non-alcoholic drinks with whiskey.
Ron Burgundy
Last on our list is perhaps the most “famous” whisky drinker of them all. Can you tell by this quote who we are talking about? “Mm, I love Scotch. Scotchy Scotch Scotch. Here it goes down into my belly. Mm-mm-mm.” Of course we’re talking about Ron Burgundy, the most infamous anchorman in history who’s “kind of a big deal.”
