Crisp, cold and seriously strong, the Vesper takes the Martini in a new direction: gin and vodka together, softened by the honeyed, orange-peel bitterness of Lillet instead of vermouth. A wide lemon peel gives it a bright, fragrant nose.
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Taste4.5
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Add gin, vodka and Lillet Blanc to a shaker filled with ice.
Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds until very cold.
Double strain into the chilled glass.
Express a wide strip of lemon peel over the drink and drop it in.
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Vesper Martini
Taste
Very dry and cold, with juniper and citrus peel, a clean vodka backbone and a light honey and orange-blossom note from the Lillet. Strong: about as potent as a classic Martini.
History and origin
The Vesper comes from fiction. In Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, published in 1953, Bond orders a dry martini in a deep champagne goblet made from three measures of Gordon's gin, one of vodka and half a measure of Kina Lillet, shaken until ice cold and served with a large thin slice of lemon peel. He later names it after Vesper Lynd, the double agent at the heart of the story.
Kina Lillet, a quinine-flavoured aperitif wine, no longer exists in its original form: the brand was reformulated in the 1980s into today's softer Lillet Blanc. Bartenders who want the original bitterness often use Cocchi Americano instead. The International Bartenders Association lists the Vesper among its New Era Drinks.
Bartender tips
Put the gin and vodka in the freezer beforehand for an even colder, silkier drink with less dilution.
Stirring instead of shaking gives a clearer, denser drink; shaking follows Fleming's instructions.
If you have Cocchi Americano, try it in place of Lillet Blanc to get closer to the bitter Kina Lillet of the 1950s.
Variations
Classic Martini
Gin and dry vermouth stirred, without vodka or Lillet.
Vesper with Cocchi Americano
Uses Cocchi Americano for a more bitter, quinine-driven profile closer to Kina Lillet.
