Vesper

The Vesper cocktail, invented by Ian Fleming for James Bond in the 1953 book Casino Royale, is probably one of the most written-about cocktails in history. As penned by Fleming, it is made per a gin martini, but with vodka added, and the vermouth swapped out for Kina Lillet.

Let’s get this out of the way first: making the 1953 original is impossible. Gordon’s gin, specified in the recipe, has been reformulated since then, and has a different alcohol content. Kina Lillet has had its quinine removed, and is now just ‘Lillet.’

That said, you can still make a damn fine replica. I use Gordon’s gin and Russian Standard vodka. The Lillet is critical – vermouth does not taste the same. In general, use high-quality ingredients, because no single component has anywhere to hide here. The Vesper is a furiously alcoholic drink, so beware.

Despite the convention for stirring normal martini cocktails, a Vesper would not be a Vesper if it were not “Shaken, but not stirred.”

Print Recipe

Vesper

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By Ian Fleming (adapted) – Serves: 1

Cooking Time: None

Ingredients

• 75ml Gordon's London gin
• 25ml Russian Standard vodka
• 15ml Lillet Blanc
• Twist of lemon peel

Instructions

1

Place a martini glass in the freezer.

2

Shake the liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice.

3

Strain into the frosted glass and garnish with the lemon peel.

Notes

In the Fleming books, Bond only ever ordered this drink once, preferring a standard vodka martini with a twist of lemon. To make that, use three measures of vodka, half a measure of vermouth bianco, manufacture in the same way and pop in a bit of lemon zest given a twist over the glass.