Frank Sinatra Loved This Whiskey So Much He Was Buried With It

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Unless you have a discerning eye (and palate), it can take a moment to tell bourbon and whiskey apart, or to list the differences between whiskey and whisky. One guy who knew his whiskey — and the type he preferred most — was the icon known as "The Sultan of Swoon," actor-musician Frank Sinatra. In many ways, Sinatra was a high-key foodie. He cherished Italian favorites like veal Milanese and stuffed artichokes that spoke to his family's heritage, and he absolutely loved his favorite candy, Lifesavers, to the point that he was buried with a roll. But cherry sweets weren't the only treat that accompanied Ol' Blue Eyes to the afterlife.

Also included in Frank Sinatra's coffin was a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey. The story goes that Sinatra became acquainted with the spirit in the 1940s thanks to famous funnyman Jackie Gleason. He was so enamored of it that he shouted it out from stage when he was performing, which skyrocketed Jack Daniel's, which was, at that time, a very small company, into mega-fame. Some have said that Jack Daniel's owes its close association with the rockstar lifestyle, as immortalized in hit songs like Ke$ha's "TiK ToK," Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," and countless country bangers, to Sinatra, who was the first ultra-famous celeb to deem it their favorite. Bruce Springsteen sipped Jack with Sinatra before Sinatra's death, and, when she performed a Sinatra tribute on TV, Lady Gaga mentioned the brand. The post-mortem association between Frank Sinatra and Jack Daniel's is so strong that musicians are still swilling it today, probably not knowing that we have Sinatra to thank for putting the spirit in the public eye.

There are countless variations on drinking whiskey, but Sinatra's method was a cool classic ... appropriate for the singer who gave us "My Way." His favorite drink was called a 3-2-1, which is not only a catchy name, but makes the preparation easy to remember. In an old-fashioned glass (like these sold in a set of four), Sinatra would drop three ice cubes, two fingers of Jack Daniel's Bonded whiskey, and one splash of water. For those not in the know, "Bonded" whiskey adheres to the Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897, which regulates whiskey that is distilled in a single season, under particular conditions. Bonded Jack Daniel's is higher proof than No. 7, Jack Daniel's signature whiskey, and the water helps to mellow it out.

Also notable is the fact that Sinatra was picky about the vessel in which his whiskey was served. He insisted on nice glassware, preferably leaded crystal, and believed that elegant spirits deserved equally elegant presentation. That seems apt for a singer whose tunes are likely to be played at classy cocktail soirées with graceful dancing and picturesque finger foods. Next time you're feeling your midcentury fantasy, put on some swanky duds, bust out your most chi-chi glasses, and knock back a little bit of JD in honor of Frank Sinatra. Not only will you feel like a rockstar, but we think that, if there's life after death, Sinatra himself would tip his fedora in approval.