Truman Capote

Truman Capote, the author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood, was a man of exquisite, sometimes exaggerated tastes, and when it came to his drink of choice, nothing could beat a a perfectly chilled Martini. For Capote, the Martini wasn’t just a drink for times of relax, but also a companion during long writing sessions, that were always accompanied by a cigarette and drink, that was often his “double Martini”. Despite this intense intake, Capote declared that he never wrote while actually drunk—instead, he used the midday Martinis as a precise turning moment to transition out of the writing mood and to face the high-society world in the evening. Also in high-society salons of New York, the Martini was a permanent fixture in Capote’s hand. Imagine him at the legendary Stork Club, holding a crystal glass reflecting the house lights as he delivered sharp gossip.

While Capote was known to enjoy a variety of spirits over his lifetime (including a well-documented fondness for Screwdrivers, which he affectionally called “my orange drink”), the classic Martini remained his ideal, always exceptionally cold and very dry. The Martini sort of matched the paradox of Capote himself: outwardly glamorous and sparkling, but possessed of a profound, intoxicating strength that could catch you completely off guard.

Fun fact. Capote was notoriously picky about the quality of the pour: if he didn’t trust the bartender, or if he was attending a house party where he suspected the alcohol might be subpar or cheap, he would take matters into his own hands. He was known to walk into high-society living rooms elegantly dressed, holding a chilled Martini in one hand, while simultaneously carrying an entire, unopened bottle of J&B scotch in his coat pocket as an “insurance policy” just in case the Martini service stopped flowing.