Winston Churchill's Favourite Drink — The Brandy That Shaped History (And Whether It's Worth Drinking)

There's a drink that sat on Winston Churchill's table every single day from 1945 until the day he died. It wasn't Scotch. It wasn't a fine Bordeaux. It was Armenian brandy — and the man who introduced it to him was Joseph Stalin.

The Story

At the Yalta Conference in February 1945, the great powers were carving up the post-war world. After dinner one evening, Stalin asked Churchill if he'd like a drink. Churchill's answer was quintessentially Churchill: "I like a brandy with my cigar."

Stalin poured him Armenian brandy from the acclaimed Ararat distillery, founded in 1887. Churchill was reportedly so taken with it that he asked Stalin where he could buy more. Stalin, in his inimitable fashion, didn't give him a shop recommendation. He arranged for 400 bottles to be sent to Churchill every single year.

Churchill supposedly drank a bottle a day. And when the quality dipped — he noticed. He complained to Stalin, who investigated and discovered that the brandy master responsible had been exiled to Siberia for declaring Armenian brandy the finest in the world. Churchill's love for the drink was so profound that his complaint reportedly influenced Stalin to release the man.

A drink that freed a political prisoner. You don't hear that story about a gin and tonic.

When asked about the secret to his longevity, Churchill is reported to have credited three things: Havana cigars, Armenian cognac, and never being late for dinner. The man lived to 90. As a doctor, I'm not recommending this. But I'm not entirely sure I can argue with the results.

What Is Ararat Nairi 20 Year?

Armenian brandy has been produced in the Ararat Valley since 1887. The Ararat Nairi is a 20-year aged expression — a blend of spirits aged 18 years and above, with the oldest components exceeding 55 years. It's aged in Caucasian oak, giving it a profile that's distinctly its own: spiced pine nuts, thick honey, cedar, cigar leaf, and a long finish of cinnamon and clove. More robust and complex than most French cognacs at a comparable age, and carrying considerably more history.

Here's the thing worth noting: Jules and I are actually drinking something more premium than what Stalin originally sent Churchill. That felt fitting for Stryke of Midnight.

It was also, incidentally, a favourite of Agatha Christie and Frank Sinatra. The man had taste. So did they.

Jules and I Tried It

In the latest episode of Stryke of Midnight, Jules and I sat down with a bottle of Ararat Nairi 20 Year and gave it the full treatment — nosing, tasting, pairing it with a cigar, and debating whether the legend lives up to the liquid.

Jules, as always, was the more honest reviewer.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/CBZGEYlO_jE

The Bigger Point

There's something I keep coming back to with Stryke of Midnight — the idea that class beats cash.

Ararat Nairi isn't the most expensive spirit in the world. But it carries more history, more story, and more character than most things ten times its price.

Churchill didn't drink it because it was fashionable. He drank it because it was extraordinary. And it had been introduced to him not by a sommelier or a brand ambassador, but by the man on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

That's the kind of drink worth knowing about.

Subscribe to Stryke of Midnight on YouTube for more episodes on the finer things — watches, spirits, cigars, and the art of living with intention.

Stay classy, friends.

Dr. Bobby Stryker