Vesper cocktail

Vesper

Alessandro Scire Calabrisotto

Bold, bracing and famously shaken rather than stirred, the Vesper is the most literary of Martinis. Combining gin, vodka and a measure of aromatised wine, it is a drink forever bound up with the world of James Bond — and a genuinely excellent cocktail in its own right.

History of the Vesper

The Vesper owes its fame to fiction. It was introduced by author Ian Fleming in his 1953 novel Casino Royale, in which James Bond specifies the recipe in precise detail to a bartender. Bond names the drink the Vesper, after the character Vesper Lynd.

Fleming's original calls for gin, vodka and Kina Lillet, a quinine-infused aperitif wine, shaken until ice-cold and served with a lemon peel. The original Kina Lillet is no longer produced in its old form, so modern bartenders typically use Lillet Blanc, often with a small adjustment to recapture the drink's intended bitterness. Despite its on-screen drama, the Vesper has endured as a respected member of the Martini family.

Recipe: How to Make a Classic Vesper

Ingredients:

  • 60 ml (2 oz) gin
  • 15 ml (0.5 oz) vodka
  • 10 ml (0.25 oz) Lillet Blanc

Instructions:

  1. Add the gin, vodka and Lillet Blanc to a cocktail shaker.
  2. Fill with ice and shake until very cold, as the original recipe demands.
  3. Strain into a chilled coupe or Martini glass.
  4. Express the oils from a large lemon peel over the surface.
  5. Garnish with the lemon peel and serve.

Tips for Perfection:

  • Use a robust, juniper-forward gin to stand up to the vodka and wine.
  • Keep everything well chilled — the Vesper is meant to be served extremely cold.
  • A whisper of quinine bitters can help recreate the character of the original Kina Lillet.

Additional Recommendations

Variations:

  • Stirred Vesper: stir rather than shake for a silkier, less diluted texture.
  • Bitter twist: add a dash of quinine or orange bitters for added depth.
  • Gin-forward: increase the gin for a drier, more aromatic profile.

Pairings:

  • Oysters and other cold seafood.
  • Salted nuts and olives as a classic accompaniment.
  • Smoked salmon canapés.

Presentation:

  • Serve straight up in a chilled coupe or Martini glass.
  • Finish with a long, elegant lemon peel.

Curiosity: A Fun Fact About the Vesper

In Casino Royale, James Bond not only invents the drink but declares his intention to name it after Vesper Lynd. It is one of the few cocktails to be christened within the pages of a novel — a piece of fiction that went on to become a real and lasting bar-room order.

Sources

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