Classic Hollywood actresses are often described as having a “whiskey voice.” They are strong, suave, sultry, and classy. And they don’t take crap from anyone. Think Ava Gardner: 

“I wish to live to 150 years old, but the day I die, I wish it to be with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other.”

There’s a reason Lauren Bacall was chosen for a Suntory whisky ad in 1978, Bette Davis advertised for Jim Beam in 1974, and most recently, Christina Hendricks is the face of Johnny Walker. They bring a cool sophistication. Women want to be them. Men want them. And everyone wants the whiskey. 

A good film paired with the right whiskey brings out the best flavors of both. Here are a few of my favorite whiskey movies:


Angel’s Share

Young Scottish delinquents who met through court-mandated community service are introduced to the delightful flavors of Scotch. They expose the gullibility of the uppity Scotch collecting community willing to pay 1.2 million pounds for one cask of whisky while putting some of the Scotch to their own use. Scottish wit and grit combines with plenty of gratuitous whisky shots.

Helpfully subtitled for the Scottish to English translation.

Whisky rating: After the original story set-up, whisky features prominently in this film, showing its versatility by starring in scenes at a high-end auction and blind tasting, as well as slumming it in a communal pitcher. Beware the lumpy Scotch.

Pairs nicely with: Scotch. Balblair, Deanston, Glengoyn, Glenfarclas, Cragganmore 

Enjoy whiskey. That was Dave Broom’s message – and happily taken by a crowd that gathered on a rainy Saturday afternoon to try out some whiskies in cocktail from one of the pre-eminent whisky authors.

“Ask questions,” he told us. “Otherwise it’s just one boring, long Scottish rant.” Like that’s a bad thing when it comes to whisky. I showed up for a Scottish rant.

Dave Broom – author of my ultimate whisky guide, The World Atlas of Whisky – was at Char No. 4 to tell us to mix our whisky. You heard that correctly – to put mixers and ice in our whisky.

He said forget the rules. It’s not just for men (yep – got that message!). It’s not just for people of a certain age (around 20 seems a good time to start drinking it…). It’s not just for after dinner (do people eat dinner at noon? Is that supper?) It doesn’t have to be drunken in a tumbler (whew! Because I use jars sometimes). And it can be mixed.

Also, it’s not serious. It should make you smile. Dave put forth the idea that drinking whisky and enjoying whisky are two different things. With his newest book, Whisky: The Manual, he is looking at how to enjoy whisky by mixing it up. 

As I walked into the whiskey tasting, a man with a big laugh, a big hat, and a whiskey bottle in his pocket caught my attention.

Oh, please, I thought, please be Dave Pickerell. That would be perfect.

He was and it was.

Not many distillers get their start dreaming about working in a cement factory, but I think it’s safe to say that Dave is not the typical distiller. He wanted to be chemical engineer at age 5 to answer his burning questions about the factories that lined the streets of his hometown outside of Dayton, Ohio. That led him to become the first in his family to go to college, then grad school, where he discovered his gift for the chemistry of distilling and earned the nickname “Thermo God.”