Vesper Martini became an iconic cocktail following the Casino Royale movie in 2006 where the main character orders it at a poker table.
History of James Bond Vesper Martini
Ian Fleming published the “Casino Royale” novel in 1953 where the first mention of the Vesper Martini appears.
The drink is named after one of the characters in the book, Vesper Lynd, who was a double agent.
The original recipe consists of gin, vodka, Kina Lillet, and a slice of lemon peel as garnish.
The spirit only martini cocktails are always stirred, but the main character has his own way of enjoying the Vesper:
Shaken, not stirred
James Bond
The original Kina Lillet liqueur was discontinued in 1986 when the amount of quinine (“Kina” in French) in the liqueur was reduced. The liqueur has since been rebranded into Lillet Blanc with a slightly different overall flavour, which is why we can’t try the original James Bond Vesper Martini today.
Today Lillet Blanc is available in many liquor stores around the world and there are also many substitutes for Lillet Blanc which you can use in your cocktails.
James Bond Vesper Martini
Ingredients
- 3 oz Gin
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
- 1 Lemon peel (garnish)
Instructions
- Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker
- Add ice
- Shake for about 12-20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled glass
- Garnish with lemon peel (optional)
