Top Drinks Made Famous!
There are two types of famous drink. Those acclaimed by the famous and those named for the rich and famous.
Gin – the classic favourite
Gin seems to be one of the ingredients of choice that appears in the rich and famous list. With JK Rowling being known for her absolute favourite – the classic gin and tonic. But gin has an even greater claim to fame as a key ingredient in hangman’s blood, brought into the limelight by Anthony Burgess, the author of The Clockwork Orange. This cocktail is also made with rum, whiskey, brandy, port, Guinness and champagne and is the serious drinkers answer to long island iced tea.
Two of the eminent beverages named after the stars are of course the Charlie Chaplin and the Mel Gibson, and both contain gin. Both of these drinks provide a small kick with a difference as the former contains lime juice and apricot brandy in equal measure with its star ingredient. The latter contains vodka, vermouth, club soda and the twist in the tail of this one is the onion juice.
Then the fictional character, James Bond – well known for his favourite Martini, and it had to be “shaken, not stirred”. And What does the Martini contain? Yes, you guessed – Gin. Of course, it’s not complete without the vermouth and the olive. This drink has enjoyed the attention of bartenders for three generations with new angles being taken on it frequently. There are so many varieties and versions including the dry Martini, the dirty Martini and the Gibson, a variation on the Mel Gibson, with cocktail onions thrown in instead of olives or lemon.
Cocktails galore
While gin features in many cocktails, there are also several icebreakers that are famous for their ingredients such as vodka. Vodka appears together with gin, on its own and blended with other liqueurs and became the sweetheart of a generation when mixed with coffee liqueur, known as the White Russian. The first time the White Russian became a household name was after Jeff Bridges in his role as The Big Lebowski brought it to prominence. Some drinks, however, seem to live on from generation to generation, and Kim Kardashian has kept the candle burning brightly for this particular gem.
Whiskey – An ancient alternative
Whiskey in its many different forms, single malt, blended, Scotch, Irish, Canadian and Tennessee (US) has grown and developed and will almost certainly remain on the menu for generations to come. Christian Bale, the star of American Psycho managed to throw the spotlight on J&B (Justerini and Brooks) on the rocks. This blend is made up of forty-two different scotch whiskies and comes in the rare and the standard version. It is unlikely to find a bar anywhere in the world that doesn’t stock it.
Winston Churchill also known as the British Bulldog and one of the most prominent prime ministers in modern history loved his highball and had been referred to as having the skill to keep his Whiskey going all day. In fact, his secretary divulged that it was more like mouthwash than a regular drink. Take from that revelation what you may.
Jack Daniels, together with South Comfort have made American whisky a global phenomenon. While the two drinks are very different, they both have a sweet kick to them that their forbear the Scotch Whiskey does not. Sting – a Rockstar loved by generations was known for the fact that “The Jack” was his favourite tipple and still has fans emulating him by ordering this rather excellent creation across the bar.
Beer
When it became known that Barak Obama preferred Bud Light, the bosses at Budweiser must have been overjoyed. This president will have influenced the beer choice of many a patriotic American as well as his admirers abroad.
Some of the rich and famous however bring more than one drink to the table, including Christian Bale who also loves Corona, and this pale beer has grown from strength to strength in popularity. It also featured in American Psycho, a film that has become a cult classic.
As you like it
It’s not possible to close a topic without mentioning the “Shirley Temple”, although essentially a soft drink, made up of ginger ale, a touch of grenadine and maraschino cherries, it can be easily turned into an adult drink by adding one or more of a number of spirits. Ask the bartender to surprise you!