Rebellions, such as the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, have been fueled by it and such noted figures as Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner (who said she wanted to die with a cigarette and whiskey in hand), Mark Twain, William Faulkner and Sir Winston Churchill used whiskey to enliven or tame their souls.
Whiskey, it has fans, and they can thank traveling monks for it. (Come to think of it, monks have had a hand in originating or perfecting a lot of liquor, i.e. Champagne, chartreuse.)
