The Only Type Of Whisky Winston Churchill Liked To Sip On

One of Great Britain's most famous prime ministers, Winston Churchill, is known for leading the country through the chaos of World War II. A controversial figure, Churchill had many interesting quirks, and people have always been particularly fascinated by his drinking habits. It's been documented that he started drinking in the morning, as soon as he began working. And his drink of choice to start the day was a glass of water with a drop of whisky. While he also enjoyed wines, champagne, and other libations, the politician was known to be very particular about the type of whisky that he drank, reportedly only wanting the drink if it was scotch.

His reasoning probably had patriotic undertones, as well as historical ties. After all, the first record of whisky does come from Scotland and dates back to 1494. With a smoky flavor and a light body, there is no mistaking this type of whisky, which many consider the best in the world. Of course, other countries that produce the spirit like Ireland, Canada, and the United States would probably disagree. But for the former prime minister, there simply was no substitute for whisky made with barley and smoked to perfection. He reportedly found U.S. bourbon to be an abomination. It's said that when President Harry Truman offered to pour him a bourbon while they were on a train, he made the vehicle stop in Virginia until someone could find some scotch.

Surprisingly, scotch didn't always have a hold on Churchill's heart. In fact, he is said to have hated the drink at first. He tried it when he was fighting in Afghanistan with the British forces in the late 1890s. Because there weren't many options, he had to continue drinking the spirit until he eventually developed a taste for it. In the years to come, the scotch would eventually become part of his morning routine.

But Churchill didn't just appreciate a scotch whisky for its flavor. For him, it was a national symbol, given that it was one of United Kingdom's most exported products. Throughout his time as prime minister, he prioritized the spirit by intervening when production fell during the war. This policy of intervention would continue even after the war had ended. For him, protecting scotch was both an economic and a patriotic necessity. As for the one he most often enjoyed, that would be a Johnnie Walker, black or red label. Of course, his pickiness does not mean that he was a good judge of whisky — after all, a great bourbon with cask strength or a bonded whiskey are just as good as a scotch in our opinion.