{"id":81443,"date":"2018-01-10T09:39:19","date_gmt":"2018-01-10T15:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=81443"},"modified":"2023-07-01T16:49:46","modified_gmt":"2023-07-01T21:49:46","slug":"james-bond-vesper-martini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/leisure\/food-drink\/james-bond-vesper-martini\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make the Classic James Bond Vesper Martini"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"James<\/p>\n

One of James Bond\u2019s most enduring catchphrases is \u201cshaken, not stirred.\u201d But what, exactly, is being mixed in that cocktail shaker? Most of us know that it\u2019s a martini of some sort, but that cocktail has evolved in such numerous ways over the decades, can we really know the specific type of martini that Bond indulges in? <\/span><\/p>\n

We can if we dig into Ian Fleming’s very first novel about the world’s most famous spy: Casino Royale<\/i><\/a> (the recipe was mentioned in the 2006 film adaptation of the book as well). In the story<\/span>, Fleming tells us, through Bond himself, the exact recipe for the Vesper martini (an old word for evening, as well as the name of an alluring female Secret Service agent with whom 007 works on this case): <\/span><\/p>\n

“A dry martini. One. In a deep champagne goblet. . . . Three measures of Gordon\u2019s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it\u2019s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?\u201d <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you know cocktails<\/a>, you know that\u2019s <\/span>quite<\/span><\/i> a strong drink (a \u201cmeasure\u201d can either mean 1 or 1.5 US ounces, depending on the establishment). It\u2019s between 4-6 oz of hard liquor, plus that extra half measure of Lillet (an apertif, fortified wine; i.e., a beverage meant to be consumed before dinner to stimulate the appetite). That\u2019s at least two times the amount of booze contained within your average cocktail.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Felix Leiter, in the novel, notices this fact and responds, \u201cGosh, that\u2019s certainly a drink.\u201d To which Bond explains, \u201cI never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Interestingly enough, Casino Royale<\/em> is in fact the only time Fleming has Bond order a Vesper; in the other books he drinks regular vodka and gin martinis. But 007 gave the recipe with such inedible conviction, that it’s become an enduring part of popular culture.<\/p>\n

If you’d like to move beyond merely hearing about the Bond martini to actually tasting<\/em> it, today I\u2019ll go through all the ingredients you’ll need, as well as how to make it with your home bar<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re ready to harness your inner secret agent, and gain a bit more savoir faire<\/em><\/a>, it’s time to learn how to make a Vesper. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Ingredients<\/h3>\n

\"Vesper<\/p>\n

While the Vesper is often classified as a martini, it really defies categorization. A classic martini contains gin, dry vermouth, and an olive or two. A vodka martini simply replaces the gin with vodka. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bond uniquely combines the two spirits, and instead of using vermouth, he requests Kina Lillet. And rather than olives, Bond uses lemon peel as a garnish. It\u2019s a drink as unique as 007 himself. Let\u2019s briefly discuss the individual ingredients before we get into properly mixing the cocktail. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gordon\u2019s.<\/b> Gordon\u2019s is a brand of dry gin that\u2019s been made in London since the late 1700s. (If you\u2019re buying it in the U.S., however, it\u2019s been made in either the States or Canada.) While it\u2019s an inexpensive gin in today\u2019s craft-obsessed market (my 1.75L bottle cost just $14 \u2014 a steal!), it accounts for over a third of Britain\u2019s gin market, and is annually among the best-selling brands worldwide. Even snobby reviewers tend to give Gordon\u2019s a fair shake and admit that it\u2019s a quality product, <\/span>especially<\/span><\/i> at its low price point. Gordon\u2019s Gin can be found at most liquor stores. <\/span><\/p>\n

Vodka. <\/b>Of the Vesper martini’s three alcohols, this is the only one for which Bond doesn\u2019t specify a brand. He actually explains it in <\/span>Casino Royale<\/span><\/i> (the novel): \u201cif you can get a vodka made with grain instead of potatoes, you will find it still better\u201d \u2014 indicating that this version was made with a potato vodka. He then says, however, <\/span>“Mais n’enculons pas des mouches”<\/span><\/i> (a French phrase meaning “let’s not split hairs”). While Bond’s a man of impeccably good taste, he\u2019ll also take what\u2019s available to him \u2014 in terms of vodka, at least! For my home version, I went with New Amsterdam, a perfectly middle-of-the-road grain vodka made here in the US that I bought for about $20 (for a 750ml bottle). <\/span><\/p>\n

A side note: back in the early ’50s when Fleming created the recipe, the standard ABV of vodka would have been closer to 50% (or 100 proof). Most of what you’ll find today on shelves is between 80 and 90 proof, but if you really want to recreate the original Vesper, look for a 100-proof vodka. <\/p>\n

Kina Lillet. <\/b>Here is where things get tricky. Lillet is a French brand of fortified wine that at one time contained quinine (the defining ingredient in tonic). In the late 1800s, \u201ctonic wine\u201d became rather popular and was marketed as a preventive beverage that would fight off fevers and malaria. <\/span><\/p>\n

It remained popular for many decades, but by the 1970s and \u201880s, demand for quinquinas (beverages with quinine in them) had died down, and the company changed the recipe (and name \u2014 to Lillet Blanc), drastically reducing the amount of quinine. While there\u2019s purportedly still some in the recipe, on its own, Lillet Blanc tastes mostly like a sweet white wine. It’s as close as you’ll get to the original Vesper mixer, however, and it can be found with vermouths and other apertifs in most liquor stores for about $20 for a 750ml bottle. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cinchona-infused liquor. <\/b>So where will we get that distinct quinine flavor? We can\u2019t just add tonic; that would water down the beverage too much. So instead we make what is essentially our own quinine liquor. We do that by the simple process of mixing <\/span>cinchona bark<\/span><\/a> \u2014 where quinine comes from \u2014 with vodka (I used the New Amsterdam that I bought for this recipe). You likely won\u2019t be able to easily find cinchona bark, so order it online. A pound was about $20, and you\u2019ll get many batches of infused liquor from that amount.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Cinchona<\/p>\n

Since vodka is a neutral spirit \u2014 that is, it doesn\u2019t have a ton of flavor on its own \u2014 it\u2019s particularly good at absorbing other flavors and is therefore perfect for making home infusions. I used a small handful of cinchona bark \u2014 slightly less than 1\/4 cup \u2014 and mixed it with about 6oz of vodka in a mason jar. I let it sit for about 24 hours, and it ended up with a wonderful quinine aroma and a deep golden hue. Filter it through cheesecloth (or a coffee filter), keep it stored in the mason jar, and you have quinine liquor for use in your evening Vespers! <\/span><\/p>\n

Lemon.<\/b> Any lemon will do; I used a serrated paring knife to cut a \u201clarge thin slice of lemon peel\u201d as directed by Bond himself. <\/span><\/p>\n

How to Make a Classic James Bond Vesper Martini<\/h3>\n

\"Pouring<\/p>\n

As Bond famously noted, this cocktail is to be very well shaken until ice cold. It\u2019s generally accepted nowadays that this was foolish from a mixologist\u2019s perspective. Shaken drinks tend to be those that include juice, egg whites, or cream; cocktails with those ingredients need to be very well incorporated, and even a little frothy. Cocktails that include purely alcoholic ingredients should rather be stirred in a glass of ice then strained out into your glass, as shaking will make the drink cloudy and can excessively water it down, as the shaking melts the ice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps Bond thought that shaking would chill the cocktail quicker (he does prefer his pre-dinner drinks “very cold,” after all), and actually liked it a bit watered down, given how strong it is. We’ll never know, but since 007 insisted on shaking, that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to do too! <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Peel your lemon and place it in the glass first. <\/b>When you pour the drink, this allows the essence of the peel to be more evenly incorporated throughout the drink rather than just plopping it in at the end. <\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Fill your shaker with ice. <\/b><\/li>\n
  3. Add all liquid ingredients to the shaker. <\/b>Rather than making the uber-boozy drink that Bond requested, I did half measures. Since the recipe is listed in parts rather than specific measurements, it\u2019s easily scalable. The cocktail is still plenty strong, don\u2019t worry. Of course, if you\u2019re feeling plucky, feel free to go with Bond\u2019s full measures. (Just don\u2019t drive afterwards, or get in a fight with a member of the KGB!) <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n