Sir Winston’s Libations
Part 2 – Armenian Brandy
Walking around Mayfair and St James in London is one of the great pleasures of a visit to
London. The Cuban Cigar Walk London visits four of the finest cigar stores in London and
the Audio Guide also includes many stories of British Cigar history.
But no Cigar walk in London would be
complete without including Sir Winston
Churchill, the Greatest Englishman of
the last Century, who bought his cigars
from two of the stores on the walk (Alfred
Dunhill and JJ Fox).
Churchill once said: “When I was younger
I made it a rule never to take strong drink
before lunch. It is now my rule never to do
so before breakfast.”
At the end of the Second World War Sir
Winston was at the Yalta Conference with
the other Allied leaders and it was there
that Joseph Stalin introduced him to
ten-year-old Dvin Armenian Brandy and
this 52% proof spirit quickly became the
favourite brandy of the British wartime
leader.
In addition to Pol Roger Champagne (see
the article in our May issue) Sir Winston
was also known to be partial to a glass of
Brandy and after the Second World War it
came from an from an improbable source.
Lunch and dinner at Chartwell was always
accompanied by Champagne. Sir Winston
was also fond of Port, claret, Scotch and
brandy. As I mentioned in part one Pol
Roger was his favourite Champagne
house. Johnnie Walker Red Label was
his favourite Scotch, and then there was
brandy.
South African Prime Minister Jan
Christian Smuts once brought him a bottle
of South African brandy. Churchill sipped
it and said, “My dear Smuts, it is excellent.”
And then added, “But it is not brandy.”
“I saw my father many times the better for
drink – but never the worse’” Lady Soames
19
Churchill at the Yalta
Stalin anticipated that the pungent,
chewy Dvin would make a good match for
Churchill’s prolific cigar habit.
Among those who have sampled it I have
read reports that “Dvin is unusually light
due to its complex bouquet of vanilla
tones, harmonious aroma of woody
flavours with a strong hint of vanilla,
suggestions of dried fruits and hazelnuts,
and its fruity-caramel taste”