Queen Elizabeth II's favorite alcoholic drink wasn't a traditional wine but a cocktail: a Gin & Dubonnet, made with two parts Dubonnet (a sweet, wine-based aperitif) and one part Gordon's Gin, with ice and a lemon slice, typically enjoyed before lunch; however, she also enjoyed quality wines like French Bordeaux, German Riesling, and English sparkling wines, plus Champagne, especially Bollinger and Pol Roger.
Pol Roger had been the favourite champagne of Sir Winston Churchill since 1908, with Churchill even naming one of his racehorses "Pol Roger". After Churchill's death in 1965, Pol Roger placed a black border around the labels of Brut NV shipped to the United Kingdom.
With a history that dates back to 1846, Dubonnet is a delicious aperitif that is said to be Queen Elizabeth's favourite tipple.
Meghan Markle's favorite wine is Tignanello, a prestigious Italian "Super Tuscan" red blend from Antinori, which inspired the name of her former lifestyle blog, The Tig. She described it as her "aha moment" for understanding wine, noting its balance of body, structure, and finish, with notes of cherry, spice, and herbs.
Chef McGrady disclosed that, although Princess Diana “wasn't a big drinker,” she was partial to the occasional Chardonnay.
It's said that Piper-Heidsieck was Marilyn Monroe's favorite Champagne. Marilyn Monroe once said, “I go to bed with a few drops of Chanel N° 5, and I wake up each morning to a glass of Piper-Heidsieck; it warms me up.”
Like most presidents, JKF enjoyed Champagne, and the First Lady, Jackie Kennedy's favourite was Veuve Clicquot.
Andre the Giant. No one in recorded history could drink as much as Andre. The pro wrestler, who stood 7'5" and weighed over 500 pounds, routinely shocked friends and spectators with his insane tolerance for alcohol.
Hankey Bannister "Original" Reputed to be Sir Winston Churchill's favourite brand of whisky, Hankey Bannister definitely gets a "V" for victory from us! The nose is light with honey and caramel and a spiciness that adds complexity.
The 20-minute wine rule is a simple guideline to bring wines to their optimal serving temperature: put red wines in the fridge for about 20 minutes to cool slightly (as room temp is too warm), and take white wines out of the fridge for about 20 minutes to let them warm up a bit (as too cold masks flavors). This helps unlock the full aromas and flavors, as serving wines too hot or too cold mutes their complexity.
Queen Elizabeth was known to drink Bollinger Champagne, and the brand is one of the most popular choices for the Royal Family.
The legend that he is a heavy drinker is quite untrue. Churchill is a sensible if unorthodox drinker. There is always some alcohol in his bloodstream and it reaches its peak in the evening after he has had two or three scotches, several glasses of champagne, at least two brandies, and a highball.
The next whisky to receive and still have a royal warrant up until the Queen's passing is The Famous Grouse. While Queen Elizabeth herself was more of a gin drinker, The Famous Grouse was one of her favourites, with it receiving a royal warrant from her in 1984.
In celebration of this honour, the distillery produced Laphroaig 10 Year Old Royal Warrant though according to those closest to Prince Charles, he prefers the 15 Year Old in the this particular range.
While Frank Sinatra was known to love his Jack Daniel's, another brand stole his blue moon of a heart. The Scotch whisky label Chivas Regal was also one of the iconic crooner's favorite drinks. He loved a glass of the amber-hued spirit so much that the brand sponsored his 1990 Diamond Jubilee tour.
Andre the Giant, the legendary professional wrestler, is widely reported to have drunk 106 beers in one night in 1975 at the Downtowner in Charlotte, North Carolina, a feat recounted by fellow wrestler Ric Flair. While he had numerous legendary drinking stories, including consuming vodka on a flight, this specific 106-beer event highlights his immense alcohol tolerance, often attributed to managing chronic pain from his size.
She fell in love with the Krigler perfume Lovely Patchouli around the time she married Aristotle Onassis and made the note an instant classic. If asked to imagine what Jackie O smelled like, one might guess: a cadence of fresh-cut flowers, a whisper of freshly laundered linens, a warm shimmer of Santorini sun.
"Poor man's champagne" is a nickname for more affordable sparkling wines like Prosecco (Italy) or Cava (Spain) that offer bubbly enjoyment without the high price of French Champagne, but it can also refer to homemade punch recipes using grape juice and ginger ale, creating a festive, non-alcoholic or low-alcohol alternative. While historically seen as a substitute, Prosecco's quality has improved, making it a popular drink in its own right, distinct from Champagne.
Maurice Tempelsman, diamond czar and the former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' final beau, has died. He was 95. The diamond baron died on Saturday, Aug. 23, due to complications from a fall, his son, Leon, said, per The New York Times.
Now we know Marilyn Monroe smelled like Chanel 5, Floris Rose Germanium and LifeBuoy Soap.
Pol Roger is a peculiarly British Champagne. It's famous as Winston Churchill's favourite. Dry, and full of pear, mango and honeysuckle flavours.
Marilyn Monroe likely suffered from complex mental health issues, with modern analysis pointing towards Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), alongside historical diagnoses of Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive Illness), anxiety, depression, and addiction, stemming from severe childhood trauma and abandonment. Her struggles included emotional instability, identity issues, impulsivity, intense mood swings, emptiness, and substance abuse, all consistent with BPD and ASD traits, though she was treated with medications for mood disorders during her life.
His favourite dram, though, is reputedly Laphroaig 15 Year Old and, in 1994, Prince Charles issued the Islay operation with a Royal Warrant – the first and only distillery so recognised by the Prince of Wales. Laphroaig in turn celebrated by releasing a 10-year-old single malt, aptly named 'Royal Warrant'.