Feel like taking your cocktail game up a notch during your upcoming dinner soiree next weekend? Why not try recreating James Bond’s all-time favourite Vesper Martini that he suavely orders at the bar.
First things first, while James Bond is a book/movie character widely known and admired by many across the world, he is fictional, and so is his favourite alcoholic drink. The Vesper Martini was first mentioned in the 1953 book “Casino Royale” and caught the hearts of many ever since. Many other cocktails and drinks were mentioned in other books from the series, but none stood out like the Vesper Martini. Due to the Vesper Martini being a fictional cocktail, its ratios and the content of the drink is entirely up to your interpretation.
The Ingredients
James Bond provided strict and specific instructions as to how to make a Vesper Martini - “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”
Kina Lillet is a liqueur made with white wine, which gives the Vesper Martini its distinctive bitter edge.
Unfortunately, the elusive Kina Lillet is no longer in production and does not exist anymore. But the good news is you can always substitute it with Cocchi Americano, which finishes crisp and bitter - close enough to the original Kina Lillet.
To make a Vesper Martini closest to the original one, you will need:
- 3 ounces gin
- 1-ounce vodka
- 1/2 ounce Cocchi Aperitivo Americano
- A wide strip of lemon zest for garnish
As you can tell from the proportions, James Bond liked his cocktails stiff. You might want to dial back on the gin or tweak the recipe if you don't usually go for strong cocktails.
Shaken, Not Stirred
Once you have the necessary liquors and ingredients ready, go ahead and combine the different liquors in a cocktail shaker. Add some ice and shake the liquor combination for about 10 seconds for a bubbly and cloudy texture. Sift the liquid into a martini glass (not cocktail glass) and top it off with a strip of lemon zest for garnishing.
Voila! You now have a solid glass of Vesper Martini ready for your enjoyment. Sit back, relax and enjoy feeling like a top-secret, licensed-to-kill British intelligence agent.
Get Your Vesper Martini Necessities From JARBARLAR
Thinking of buying the liquors in advance but can’t seem to squeeze out any time before the dinner gathering at your place? Why not get your gin and vodka delivered to you by ordering online? Visit our website today and find a wide array of gin like Hendricks, Gordon’s and Tanqueray available for purchase. As for the vodka, you can opt to go for Absolut, Belvedere, or Grey Goose.
Place your order online and enjoy free delivery within Singapore with a minimum spending of $50. Do note that next-day delivery will only be available if your order is placed before 4pm the previous day and there are no alcohol deliveries on Sunday. Alternatively, express delivery within 2 hours is also available with a charge of $19.90.
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