Desert Island Drinks

As part of the re-branding of BBC Radio 7 to "Radio 4 Extra" all of the choices from the castaways of Desert Island Disks have been released; but how many chose some form of imbibement as their luxury item?

GIN

Forget Gordons, Freddie will make his own.

Mark Lubbock, Musician, Conductor Composer: Gin

Frank Swinnerton, Novelist Gin & Vermouth

Raymond Leppard, Musician Composer: Gin, Dry Martini and lemons

Not Content with just drinking Gin:

Sir Torquil Norman Aviator, Inventor and Arts Patron

A miniature still with a little ice-making machine attached to it to make Dry Martinis.

Freddie Jones Actor

Liebig condenser for distilling Gin

RUM

Desmond Tutu, partial to a scoop of Rum & Raisin

Tyrone Guthrie, Director

Carlos Acosta, Dancer: Case of Havana rum

Jonathan Pryce, Actor: Endless supply of rum punch

Andrew Davies, Endless supply of Mojitos

Archbishop Desmond Tutu: Ice-cream maker (especially for rum and raisin flavour)

WHISK(E)Y

Kingsley Amis (who went on disks twice) liked both Scotch & American whisk(e)y

Kingsley Amis (1961) American

Kingsley Amis (1986) Scottish

Burt Ives; Actor/Writer/Singer: (Tobermory)

David Cameron, Prime minister: A Crate of Scottish Whisky

Marquess Of Bath Owner of Longleat

C Day Lewis, Poet Laureate, Bourbon Whiskey

VODKA

Terry Wogan - Vodka

Howard Goodall - Ice-cold vanilla vodka and tonics

BRANDY

Terry looks unnerved by rumours of phylloxera in France

Ian Hendry, Actor

Edith Coates, Musician

Terry Thomas, Actor

Ken Russell, Film Director

Jean Pouget, Musician - Cask of Brandy

Sir Alex Guinness (Apricot Brandy)

Peter O'Sullevan, Broadcaster (Calvados)

CHAMPAGNE

Sian Phillips Actor: Solar-powered refrigerator full of champagne

Jane Asher Actor/Chef: Hot bath with extra tap for cold champagne

Britt Ekland Case of Evian water filled with champagne

Jasper Conran Fashion Designer: Vintage Krug Champagne (endless supply)

Sue Townsend Writer: Swimming Pool Full of Champagne

WINE

Leonard wasn't just partial to Cinzano.

Leonard Rossiter Actor: Moselle wine

John Surman Musician Saxophonist: Vat of Bordeaux wine

Gene Pitney Singer-songwriter: Case of Opus One wine

Richard Briars: HUGE Supply of Chardonnay

Arnold Ridley Actor, Playwright: Wine-making kit

Donald Sutherland Actor: Case of really good vintage wine

OTHER

John Le Mesurier thought a still would be rather lovely.

John Le Mesurier - A Small Distillery

Armando Iannucci Comedian, Satirist, Writer, Director: Virtual sherry trifle

Fay Maschler Restaurant Critic: A huge supply of ouzo

Harry Enfield Comedian: Beer and a cigarette machine

Laurie Lee Poet Writer: Materials for making wine or beer

Ian Carmichael Actor: Writing materials and beer

Martin Bell Journalist, Politician: A barrel of Adnam’s Ale brewed in Suffolk

Paul Tortelier Musician, Cellist, Composer: Bicycle and cider

In Figures

GIN: 5

WINE: 67

CHAMPAGNE: 41

WHISK(E)Y: 27

BRANDY: 9

RUM: 4

OTHER: 10

18 Castaways asked for a Still and 5 asked for a Brewery

No post on Desert Island Disks would be complete without some mention of music; so here are the choices of my favourite author and imbiber:

Ian Fleming

Airdate: Monday 5th August 1963

1."Whispering" Jack Smith: “Cecilia”

2. The Revellers: “Dinah”

3. Édith Piaf: “La Vie en Rose”

4. The Ink Spots: “If I Didn't Care”

5. Rosemary Clooney: “This Ole House”

6. Billy Vaughn: “Theme from A Summer Place”

7. Anton Karas: The Harry Lime Theme (from The Third Man)

8. Joe "Fingers" Carr: The Darktown Strutters Ball

Book: War and Peace (in German) by Leo Tolstoy

Luxury Item: Typewriter and paper