Television’s top 10 spirits drinkers

From political sitcoms to cutting-edge dramas, many of television’s most beloved fictional faces are partial to a drop of something spirited.

Parks & Recreation’s Ron Swanson is partial to a Lagavulin

And why not? Top tipples and compelling characters have much in common: distinct personalities, lively natures, and intriguing backstories.

Here SB picks out some of our favourite fictional television personalities known for their love of distilled liquids.

Click through the following pages to discover our top 10 TV spirits drinkers

Think we’ve left someone out? Let us know your favourite TV boozer in the comments below

Ron Swanson, Parks & Recreation – Lagavulin

The government-hating, curmudgeonly head of the (government-run) Parks & Recreation department for small-town Pawnee, Ron Swanson adores woodworking, barbeques and a good single malt – Lagavulin is his favourite. When colleague Leslie Knope arranges for him to visit the Islay distillery, you can tell from his face that his life is now complete.

Chuck Bass, Gossip Girl – Scotch (he’s not fussy)

Everyone’s favourite Upper East Side bad boy is a hit with the ladies – but his other “vice” is Scotch. Whether he’s scheming or celebrating, a decanter of something tasty, and no doubt expensive, is never far away. Hedonistic, narcissistic Chuck is one flawed character – but his charm is undeniable and Gossip Girl fans collectively cheered when (*spoiler alert*) he got his happy ending.

JD, Scrubs – Appletinis

Doctor by day, Appletini aficionado by night, after a long shift JD likes nothing better than winding down with his best friend Turk and a glass or two of the sweet green cocktail. He even once found a date over their shared love of the Appletini.

Don Draper, Mad Men – Old Fashioned

Whether winning deals, womanising or indeed just wiling away an evening, ad man Don Draper is rarely without an Old Fashioned in his hand. The Mad Men phenomenon of the mid-to-late noughties has in some circles been credited as a factor in the classic cocktail revival – and for that SB salutes Draper.

Jay, Modern Family – Scotch

The patriarch of the Pritchett clan, Modern Family’s Jay might have a gruff exterior, but deep down he’s all heart – much like the various Scotches he enjoys throughout the US sitcom’s seven season run. Whether its reward, escapism or celebration, Jay’s drinks cabinet is likely bursting with whisky gems.

Carrie Bradshaw, Sex & The City – Cosmopolitan

No list of TV drinkers could be complete without a nod to Carrie Bradshaw, who along with partners in crime Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda must have cleaned Manhattan out of Cosmos in the late nineties and early noughties. And let’s face it – going out for cocktails with the girls became A Thing thanks to Carrie and Co. – and the drinks industry, especially in the US, can be truly thankful.

Nucky Thompson, Boardwalk Empire – Sidecar

Boardwalk Empire protagonist and a character loosely based on former Atlantic City political figure Enoch Lewis “Nucky” Johnson, Nucky is employed as treasurer of Atlantic County, New Jersey. In effect, he controls the region as a political boss, which is rather convenient for a man who leads a double life as a gangster. However morally ambiguous he may be, one constant in Nucky’s life is his fondness for a Sidecar, the serve he is rarely without (even if it isn’t always quite in the right glassware).

 

Lucille Bluth, Arrested Development – Vodka

With the long-awaited fourth season of Arrested Development released in 2013 after a seven year hiatus, the world was once again treated to the manipulative scheming and cutting wit of Lucille. With a fondness for vodka that at times stretches beyond the healthy Lucille is as flawed as she is fascinating, and you can’t beat her one-liners.

Raj Koothrappali, The Big Bang Theory – Grasshopper

So scared of women that he can’t speak in their presence, Raj was accustomed to spending life partially mute. That was until his friend Penny shook up a bunch of practice cocktails, and Raj discovered the Grasshopper – and later realised all alcohol – gave him the gift of the gab. Dysfunctional yes – but fear not. After a particularly painful heartbreak his anxieties were quelled, and Raj discovered his voice when in the company of his female friends.

Patsy, Absolutely Fabulous – Bolli-Stoli

The Bolli-Stoli – one of the world’s simplest serves, and the invention of nineties PR and publishing lushes Edina and Patsy. Their infectious blend of chaos and calamity, pretension and pursuit of poshness resulted in many a car crash TV moment – whether or not their escapades were fuelled by their Stolichnaya Vodka and Bollinger creation.