Intoxicating History
By TWS Creative, Antica & Telltale Studios
From the rise and fall of empires to the birth of modern diplomacy, civilization's greatest moments have been shaped by an unlikely force: what filled our glasses.
Join award-winning author Henry Jeffreys and renowned food writer Tom Parker-Bowles as they pour through history's most intoxicating stories. From Charles Dickens's beloved punch to the royal family's legendary drinks trolley, discover how alcohol has shaped civilizations, sparked wars, and sealed peace treaties.
Each episode finds our convivial hosts uncorking a different chapter of human history through the unique lens of alcohol. Whether they're recreating Dickens's beloved punch recipes, infiltrating the closely-guarded royal wine cellars, proving that the English invented champagne or discovering how Portuguese port sparked an international alliance, Henry and Tom blend scholarly insight with irreverent wit and a shared passion for historical peculiarities.
Authoritative yet wonderfully entertaining, Intoxicating History serves up serious history with a generous measure of irreverent humour. Through revolutions and peace treaties, cultural upheavals and technological breakthroughs, your hosts reveal how the contents of the glass have steered the course of history – usually while sampling the evidence, (purely for research purposes, of course!)
Whether you're a history buff, food and drink enthusiast, or simply love a well-told tale, raise a glass with us as we explore civilization's most intoxicating moments.
Pour yourself something suitable and join us for a journey through time, one drink at a time.
New episodes served weekly.
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Latest episode
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Rome Part 2: The Empire Strikes Bacchus
In this episode of Intoxicating History Tom Parker Bowles and Henry Jeffreys get together for another round of wine-fuelled storytellin, delving deeper into the indulgent, decadent world of Ancient Rome. In the The Empire Strikes Bacchus we … -
What did the Romans Ever Do for Us?
In this episode of Intoxicating History, Henry, Jeffreys and Tom Parker Bowles travel back 2,000 years to ancient Rome to ask the big question: What did the Romans ever do for us—wine‑wise? From Pliny the Elder’s hangover cure of raw owl egg… -
The Martini Files: The history of the perfect cocktail
In this episode of Intoxicating History, we get up close and personal with everything Martini as we chat with our brilliant guest, author, FT Columnist and Martini Queen, Alice Lascelles. Tom Parker Bowles and Henry Jeffreys dive into the quirky h… -
Chartreuse To ‘wreck-The-Hoose’ Juice: Monks And The Art Of Distillation
In this episode, Tom Parker Bowles and Henry Jeffreys unravel the enigmatic legacy of monastic mixology. They explore how medieval monks, driven by both spiritual devotion and scientific curiosity, transformed the art of distillation into a craft tha… -
Episode 10 - Johnnie Walker: The Spirit That Ruled The World
In this episode of Intoxicating History, hosts Henry Jeffreys and Tom Parker Bowles unscrew and pour a liberal measure of the scandalous saga of Johnnie Walker—a Scotch that started as a modest blend in a small Ayrshire grocers and skyroc… -
Episode 9 - Wine and Wimples: How Blue Nun sparked a Global Wine Revolution
It was the wine that took the world by storm—then became a punchline. But behind the once brown and now blue bottle’s retro reputation lies a fascinating story of global wine culture, clever marketing, and unexpected historical twists.I… -
Episode 8 - WW2 Part 2: From Vines to Victory
The Nazis are retreating, the Allies are advancing, and the fate of France’s most prized vineyards hangs in the balance. What happens when a desperate army turns to scorched earth tactics? Could centuries of winemaking history be wiped out in an i… -
Episode 7 - Wine, War and the WW2 Battle for France’s Vineyards
When the Nazis stormed into France, they weren’t just after land—they had their eyes on the ultimate spoils of war: France’s legendary vineyards became battlegrounds, not just for soldiers, but for winemakers fighting to protect their lifes’ work&… -
Episode 6 - The Admiral, The Navy, and the Wine That Won the Day
In this episode of Intoxicating History, Henry Jeffreys and Tom Parker Bowles tell the remarkable story of how Admiral Nelson, fresh from beating the French at the Battle of the Nile, stumbled upon a Sicilian wine that would fuel the Roya… -
Episode 5 - Shaken, Not Stirred: How James Bond’s Drinks Defined an Era
We’re easing out of dry January by veering off the path of hard history and into the world of a fictional hero. One in which the love of vodka martinis reflects a post-war Britain desperate for glamour and escapism. And whose creator’s obsession w…