In the world of cocktails, few phrases carry as much iconic weight as ”shaken, not stirred.” This simple directive, famously delivered by James Bond, the suave and sophisticated fictional spy, is a testament to the enduring allure of the classic martini, with a distinctive twist.
While the traditional martini is stirred, resulting in a smooth and crystal-clear elixir, Bond’s preference for a shaken martini adds an element of panache and adventure to the mix. The clinking of ice, the sharp sound of a cocktail shaker, and the frosted exterior of the glass create a visual and auditory spectacle that’s as captivating as the taste itself.
Vår renhornsvodka dricks även den bäst shaken, så att renhornspulvret fördelas jämnt I flaskan. Renhorn adderar ytterligare en twist och dimension till den classiska martini.
A modern twist on a timeless martini
The earliest form of the ”shaken, not stirred” motif appears in the first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953).
’A dry martini,’ he said. ’One. In a deep champagne goblet.’
’Oui, monsieur.’
’Just a moment. 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?’
’Certainly monsieur.’ The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
’Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,’ said Leiter.
Bond laughed. ’When I’m … er … concentrating,’ he explained, ’I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold, and very well made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I think of a good name.’— Casino Royale
The drink will later be referred to as a ”Vesper”, after the original Bond girl, Vesper Lynd.
A Vesper differs from Bond’s usual cocktail of choice, the martini, in that it uses both gin and vodka, Kina Lillet instead of vermouth, and lemon peel instead of an olive. In the same scene Bond gives more details about the Vesper, telling the same barman that vodka made from grain instead of potatoes makes the drink even better. Kina Lillet is no longer available,[2] but can be approximated[3] by using the sweeter Lillet Blanc along with a dash of Angostura Bitters. Another Kina (or quinine) apertif which has the bite and approximate flavour is Cocchi Americano. Russian and Polish vodkas were also always preferred by Bond if they were in stock. Although there is a lot of discussion on the Vesper, it is only ordered once throughout Fleming’s novels and by later books Bond is ordering regular vodka martinis, though he also drinks regular gin martinis. In total, Bond orders 19 vodka martinis and 16 gin martinis throughout Fleming’s novels and short stories.