James Bond is well known for his signature martini drink order: “Vodka martini. Shaken, not stirred.” This iconic line has been featured in many of the Bond films and novels over the years. But what exactly is in James Bond’s famous martini cocktail?
The Basic Ingredients
At its core, James Bond’s martini contains just three ingredients:
- Vodka
- Dry vermouth
- Ice
The specific proportions of vodka to vermouth have varied slightly across the films, but the general ratio is around 3:1 vodka to vermouth. Typically Bond requests a 3-ounce vodka martini with 1 ounce of dry vermouth.
Shaken, Not Stirred
The other key aspect of Bond’s martini order is that he wants it “shaken, not stirred.” Most vodka martinis are stirred gently to blend the ingredients, but Bond prefers his to be shaken vigorously in a cocktail shaker.
Why shaken versus stirred? Shaking creates a more oxygenated drink with a frothy texture. It “bruises” the alcohol and chills the drink faster. A shaken martini is thought to have a slightly sharper flavor, while a stirred drink is more subtle and smooth.
The Vodka
Traditionally, Bond ordered his martinis made with Russian vodka. In Ian Fleming’s novels, Bond liked vodka made from grain instead of potatoes. Over the years, the films have featured Russian brands like Stolichnaya as well as Scandinavian brands like Absolut.
In the Daniel Craig reboot films, the vodka brand has shifted to the upmarket Belvedere from Poland. Product placement deals explain some of these brand shifts over the decades. Bond purists still prefer the original choice of Russian vodka as the closest to Fleming’s books.
The Vermouth
Bond specifically wants dry vermouth in his martinis. Sweet Italian vermouth would make the drink too sweet. Dry French vermouths like Noilly Prat are considered the best quality choice to complement the vodka.
In the novels, Fleming mentioned Lillet Blanc, a French aperitif wine, as an ingredient. But filmmakers substituted dry vermouth as more readily available.
The Garnish
James Bond’s vodka martinis are usually garnished with a thin slice or twist of lemon peel. The citrusy oils expressed from the peel add a dash of flavor. Occasionally the films show Bond drinking his martini with an olive instead of lemon.
In Casino Royale, Bond memorably said “Do I look like I give a damn?” when asked if he wanted his martini shaken or stirred. This showed his nonchalant confidence and willingness to break from convention.
The Glassware
Bond’s martini is traditionally served in a conical cocktail glass. This allows you to see the “V” of liquid created by the shaken ingredients.
In Dr. No, he originally drank his martini in a traditional V-shaped martini glass. But later films switched to the conical glass for a more stylish and modern look.
How Many Martinis?
Legend has it that James Bond drinks his martinis in multiples of three, because “any less would be uncivilized.” In the films, Bond typically drinks two or three vodka martinis.
In Fleming’s novels, Bond consumes even more — like six martinis in Moonraker and nine (!) in From Russia with Love. That’s certainly enough alcohol to get even a secret agent quite drunk.
The Vesper Martini
In Casino Royale, the martini is named the “Vesper” at Bond’s request. This was a tribute to Vesper Lynd, his love interest in the film. The Vesper is a unique concoction made with gin, vodka, Kina Lillet, and a lemon twist garnish.
The full recipe for the Vesper martini is:
- 3 measures Gordon’s gin
- 1 measure vodka
- Half a measure Kina Lillet
- Shaken over ice until it’s ice-cold
- Lemon peel twist garnish
This martini variation recognizes Bond’s personal connection to Lynd and represents a break from his usual vodka martini.
Official Recipes from IAN FLEMINGTM
The Fleming family has shared copyrighted recipes for James Bond’s martinis via The International Bartenders Association. These exact recipes are considered canon:
Vodka Martini
- 6 parts vodka
- 1 part dry vermouth
- Lemon peel or olive garnish
Vesper Martini
- 3 measures Gordon’s gin
- 1 measure vodka
- Half measure Kina Lillet
- Lemon twist
Americano
- 1 part Campari
- 1 part sweet vermouth
- 2 parts soda water
- Orange peel garnish
The Americano is a lighter drink that Bond orders in the novels before dinner.
Making James Bond’s Martini
If you want to make an authentic James Bond “Vesper” martini at home, follow these steps:
- Chill a martini glass by filling it with ice and cold water
- Add the gin, vodka, and Lillet to a cocktail shaker filled with ice
- Shake vigorously until very cold, about 10-15 seconds
- Strain into the chilled martini glass
- Garnish with a lemon twist
- Serve ice cold
Adjust the recipe to your taste – add more gin for a juniper flavor or more vodka for punch. Shaking hard is key to get that signature froth and chill.
Fun James Bond Martini Facts
- Bond’s catchphrase “shaken, not stirred” first appears in the novel Diamonds are Forever in 1956.
- The vesper martini is named after Bond girl Vesper Lynd in the 1953 book Casino Royale.
- In Casino Royale, Bond slices the lemon peel after expressing the oils into the drink.
- The Kina Lillet in vesper martini recipes was replaced by Lillet Blanc in 1986.
- Bond prefers his martinis served at -18°C (0°F).
- He first orders his drink “shaken not stirred” in the 1964 movie Goldfinger.
- Sean Connery as Bond drank more beer than martinis because he disliked vermouth.
- The Films never show Bond finishing his drinks before ordering the next round.
- Noël Coward considered having Bond drink medium dry martinis to be Fleming’s greatest sin.
The Best James Bond Martinis
Based on popularity from the novels and films, here are the top martini recipes associated with James Bond:
| Martini Name | Base Spirit | Other Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Vodka Martini | Vodka | Dry vermouth |
| Vesper Martini | Gin and vodka | Lillet Blanc |
| Gin Martini | Gin | Dry vermouth |
| Americano | Campari | Sweet vermouth, soda |
How James Bond Orders His Martini
Bond’s signature martini line evolved across the novels and films. Here are some of the ways he orders at the bar:
- “A dry martini, lemon peel. Shaken, not stirred.” (Goldfinger, 1964)
- “Double vodka martini. Shaken, not stirred.” (The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974)
- “Vodka martini. Shaken, not stirred.” (Die Another Day, 2002)
- “Three measures of Gordon’s gin, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shaken very well until it is ice cold, then served with a large thin slice of lemon peel.” (Casino Royale, 2006)
Why James Bond Drinks Martinis
There are a few theories as to why James Bond favors vodka martinis:
- Distinctive taste – The combination of vodka and dry vermouth has a clean, crisp flavor unlike most other cocktails.
- Strength – With the high vodka content, it packs more punch than many cocktails.
- Cold temperature – Shaking makes the drink ice cold for a refreshing sip.
- Elegance – Served in a cocktail glass, the drink has refined sophistication.
- Masculinity – Vodka and gin have a harder edge than fruity cocktails.
The potent martini represents Bond’s bold confidence and masculine bravado. It’s smooth yet strong – just like 007 himself.
James Bond’s Unusual Martini in Quantum of Solace
In Quantum of Solace, Bond is served a distinctly odd martini containing:/p>
- 2 measures gin
- 1 measure vodka
- 1/2 measure Campari
- 1/2 measure angostura bitters
This untraditional “martini” has more ingredients in common with a negroni than Bond’s usual drink. Given the prominence of product placement deals in Quantum, this could reflect sponsorship deals instead of staying true to Bond’s signature taste.
How Ian Fleming Created James Bond’s Martini
The story behind 007’s martini starts with creator Ian Fleming himself. Fleming preferred gin martinis, according to letters from his wife Ann. She said Fleming enjoyed Gordon’s Gin and always sampled Martinis wherever he went.
In the books, Fleming specifically mentioned Bond drinking a Gordon’s Gin martini and preferred Russian-made Stolichnaya vodka. But he understood that American readers would relate more to a Canadian whiskey like Seagram’s VO.
It was Sean Connery in Dr. No who first ordered a “vodka martini” instead of Fleming’s gin version, starting the vodka trend. This likely reflected the rising popularity of vodka in the 1960s more than staying faithful to Fleming’s tastes.
Martini Popularity Over Bond History
The martini rose to prominence alongside the dashing British spy. As Bond grew famous in the 1960s, the martini became the epitome of cool and class.
Some statistics on martini trends include:
- Churchill’s “Favorite Cocktail” was 50% gin and 50% vermouth, very different from Bond’s proportions.
- FDR liked a Martini with just a whisper of vermouth. More in line with the extra dry Bond version.
- The classic Martini ratio was 1:1 gin:vermouth in the late 19th century.
- In 1970s America, the “Vodka Martini” surpassed the Gin Martini in popularity as the Bond version spread.
- Cocktail historians credit Bond with transforming the martini into the extra-dry vodka version it is today.
James Bond made the martini sexy, adventurous, and ultra-cool. The iconic drink became a symbol of Bond’s suave sophistication that endures today.
Conclusions
James Bond’s signature martini contains simple ingredients – vodka, dry vermouth, and ice – but when precisely proportioned and shaken to an ice cold froth, delivers a world-class cocktail experience. The flair with which Bond orders his drink, and his disregard for convention by insisting it be shaken, not stirred, cemented the vodka martini as an emblem of style and confidence.
Yet over the decades, Bond’s drinks have varied across spirits, ingredients, and preparation techniques, from the canonical vesper to fanciful inventions by new scriptwriters. This reflects the continual reinvention and fresh interpretation of the character. Just as each Bond actor brings unique flair, the martinis evolve yet always remain cool, complex, and dangerous in their deceiving simplicity, much like 007 himself.