Who said “Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink…”?

Verified

Samuel Johnson. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceVol III, (7 April 1779)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Vol III, (7 April 1779).

APA

Johnson, S. (n.d.). Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2241-claret-is-the-liquor-for-boys-port-for/

MLA

Johnson, Samuel. “Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2241-claret-is-the-liquor-for-boys-port-for/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Johnson, Samuel. “Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2241-claret-is-the-liquor-for-boys-port-for/.

Related quotes

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
— Winston Churchill
VerifiedSpeech in the House of Commons, also known as "The Few", made on 20 August 1940. However Churchill first made his comment, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" to General Hastings Ismay as they got into their car to leave RAF Uxbridge on 16 August 1940 after… · evidenceDetails & citeHeroes and Heroism
Report

More quotes by Samuel Johnson

“He who praises everybody, praises nobody.”
VerifiedJohnson's Works (1787), vol. XI, p. 216; This set included the Life of Samuel Johnson by Sir John Hawkins · evidenceDetails & citePraise
Report
All 341 Samuel Johnson quotes →