How to Make a James Bond Martini

James Bond’s suave and sophisticated style is embodied by his cocktail of choice: a classic vodka martini.

In fact, the drink is so synonymous with the British spy that “shaken, not agitated” is a slogan just as famous as its famous introduction of “Bond, James Bond”.

The cocktail itself has become a classic and is an example of when author Ian Fleming let his own inclinations creep into the character of 007.

Fleming even invented a special cocktail recipe in the 1953 novel. Casino Royale, which he named the “Vesper martini”, after Bond’s doomed lover.

The spy’s drinks do more than drink him before a mission; they add to the mystique of his character.

Dr Ian Kinane, editor-in-chief of International Journal of James Bond Studies Recount News week: “In terms of drink and alcohol in the Bind novels and films they are – of course – part of the fantasy. I’m not just talking about the expensive and luxurious tastes of Bond, but the sheer fantasy and madness that a secret agent should be able to consume so much alcohol on the job and not be incapacitated.

“Bond consumes so many good things that his liver must surely be faulty by now.”

While it is of course important to always drink responsibly (unlike 007), News week consulted an expert on how to make this classic cocktail, to celebrate the release of No time to die.

What’s in a Vodka Martini?

Rather than opting for a gin-based martini, Bond always makes it clear that he wants his drink to be made with vodka. Whichever base liquor you use, the other ingredients in the cocktail are important in determining how “wet” or “dry” you want your martini to be.

David Cooper, owner of Forever Crystal glassware, said News week: “The classic no-frills martini is an elegant choice, and we wouldn’t want to change it. The underlying ingredients in a martini cocktail are your choice of alcohol and vermouth.

“Originally, martinis were created from gin, which is why Bond always says“ vodka martini. ”Once you’ve chosen your spirit, a“ wet ”or“ dry ”martini depends on the quantity. of vermouth you add: the less you use, the “drier” the cocktail.

To make a good Bond cocktail, vodka has to be the spirit of choice, along with vermouth.

However, the question of “shaken, not stirred” is controversial, as using regular ice to shake the drink could dilute the delicious nectar.

Cooper has a surefire way to avoid this, through the use of one ingredient: dry ice, to apply when you stir your cocktail.

He said: “Then we decide whether to shake or stir, both work well for a classic martini! If shaken (as 007 requires), the cocktail is airy and therefore looks cloudier, but the experts Often say that if a martini is stirred, you have more control over the appearance, texture and temperature of the cocktail, making it a more enjoyable drink.

“To avoid diluting your martini while stirring, you should add dry ice to your cocktail mix as it melts more slowly.”

Traditional gin martini has a citrus garnish or a green olive, but Cooper also suggests a drop of orange bitter to add a special zing to the cocktail.

How to make a Vesper Martini

The Vesper Martini, on the other hand, is a much more traditional martini in that it has a gin base.

In Casino Royale, Bond orders a dry martini in a glass of champagne, before correcting himself with a particular recipe.

He said, “Just a moment. Three bars of Gordon, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet.

“Shake it very well until it’s glazed, then add a big thin slice of lemon zest.” Including ? “

Kina Lillet is a French white aperitif, while Gordon’s is a London dry gin.

Bond ordered it while drinking with his friend, Felix Leiter, telling him that he wanted his only drink before dinner to be “big and very strong and very cold, and very well done”.

007 even joked about patenting it with a good name, and it eventually became known as the Vesper martini.

According to Kinane, this drink is an example of Bond using alcohol to numb the pain of doing such a hard job and losing his loved one in the process.

He said: “Bond drinks so much that he cushions the emotional weight of his work. It’s not for nothing that in the film Casino Royale that Craig’s Bond calls his famous vodka martini ‘The Vesper’ – after the hapless Vesper Lynd who overtakes him and drowns himself.

“For Bond, his famous martini is both a way to ease the pain and trauma of his past as well as a way to access the past he would have had with Vesper if things had turned out differently. “

While martinis may be his drink of choice, 007 never sticks to just one drink, and he’s seen throughout the books drinking everything from negronis and juleps to mint, to pints of Black Velvet, which is a blend of black stout and champagne.

In one of the more recent films, Fall from the sky, Bond was first introduced as a pure beer drinker, thanks to a partnership between the film and Dutch brewery Heineken.

No Time to Die hits theaters in the US on Friday, October 8.