Gin: Bombay Sapphire, Tanquerary, Plymouth, Sipsmith.

Other great choices for spirit-forward gin or vodka cocktails include:

A Vesper is a great cocktail to make when you want to let the flavors of the spirits shine. The Bosun’s and Zyr are both very smooth spirits made from grains.īoth of these bottles were gifted to me recently and when I started writing up this recipe, I knew I wanted to feature them here. I went with Holystone Distilling’s Bosun’s Navy Strength Gin and Zyr Vodka. If you use low quality spirits, this cocktail will be barely drinkable, as there are no juices or sweeteners to mask any unpleasant flavors.Ĭlassic juniper-forward gins are a great choice here. The most important consideration is quality. Later, Bond encounters a woman named Vesper Lynd and decides to name his cocktail after her. More on the ‘shaken not stirred’ debate in a minute!Īt this point in the James Bond story, the drink was just an unnamed gin and vodka martini. This is important to note, because typically cocktails made with only spirits are stirred. He also specifies that the drink be shaken until very cold.

James Bond asks a bartender for a dry martini, and then offers instructions for making it to his liking.īond requests 3 measures of Gordon’s gin, 1 measure of vodka, and a half measure of Kina Lillet, with a lemon peel for garnish.

The Vesper first appears in the 1953 book, Casino Royale. If you do happen to accidentally overindulge though, check out my hangover tips from my Corpse Reviver 2 recipe! The history of the cocktail It’s safe to say that the level of alcohol in this martini is equivalent to a double of just about any other cocktail, so please keep that in mind when mixing one up. As always, drink responsibly and choose quality ingredients for your cocktails. The Vesper is not for the faint of heart, containing a whopping 4 ounces of liquor, plus a splash of Lillet Blanc (or Cocchi Americano, if you prefer). This now-classic cocktail is unique because it was invented not by a bartender, but by author Ian Fleming in his James Bond novel Casino Royale. The Vesper is a martini riff made with both gin and vodka, as well as an aromatized wine.

James bond martini drink casino royale