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Is a drink a day ‘the secret’ to a 114 year life?
Juan Vicente Pérez, who died this week at the age of 114, recommended “a glass of aguardiente every day” as one of the secrets to a long life.
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Born on 27 May 1909 in El Cobre, Venezuela, Pérez was confirmed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living man on 4 February 2022, at the (then) ripe age of 112 years and 253 days.
He died on Tuesday 2 April, just under two months shy of his 115th birthday. Over the course of his considerable lifespan, he would father 11 children, be grandfather to 42, great-grandfather to 18, and great-great-grandfather to 12.
Throughout his life he saw considerable changes to his native Venezuela – from the emergence of the oil industry that would become so crucial to the country’s economy, to military dictatorship following a coup d’état in 1948, and the rise of Hugo Chávez in the late 1990s. He also witnessed huge technological innovation, first having his photo taken at the age of 51, and ending his life as the subject of a dedicated Instagram account.
Asked by Guinness World Records at the time of his certification in 2022 how he had been able to live for such a long time, Pérez, a devout Catholic, said: “Work hard, rest on holidays, go to bed early, drink a glass of aguardiente every day, love God, and always carry him in your heart.”
While those with an interest in fortified wine production might associate the term ‘aguardiente’/’aguardente’ with a grape spirit used to strengthen the wine, in Venezuela the term is somewhat broader, often referring to fire water made from agave, sugar, fruit or cereals. It is not known which particular variant of the spirit was Pérez’s preference, though given he began his working life as a farmer in 1914 at the age of five harvesting sugar cane, it might be assumed that he was partial to those styles of aguardiente made from the crop.
Pérez is not the only centenarian to suggest that a wee dram every day can help keep one going. 103-year-old D-Day veteran Donald Howkins shared that he enjoys a daily drop of whisky, though advised others not to “overdo it…one glass is enough”.
Medical opinion does generally advise against the daily consumption of alcohol, but throughout history drinks have been considered beneficial to health – from life-bringing aquavit to anti-malarial G&Ts. To read more, click here.