Vodka Martini

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

Whether it’s shaken or stirred, make sure you take the Vodka Martini on your next adventure.

“A medium dry martini, lemon peel, shaken, not stirred.”

“Vodka?”

“Of course.”

In 1962, moviegoers worldwide were introduced to the suave and deadly gentleman spy, James Bond 007. His first adventure, Dr. No, took the secret agent to the island of Jamaica, where he ran afoul of the titular villain, Dr. Julius No. Investigating the murder of a few fellow agents, as well as toppled American rockets, Bond soon found himself face-to-face with No in his lair on Crab Key Island. Over dinner and drinks too, no less.

The Origin of “Shaken, Not Stirred”

Upon introducing himself, Dr. No has a Vodka Martini served to 007, shaken and not stirred. This calls back to an earlier scene where Bond has room service at his hotel prepare him the same drink the same way. Either No was following his every move, or Bond’s reputation preceded him. Most bartenders will tell you that you never shake a martini, but the world’s most famous spy is particularly fond of that method. The phrase “shaken, not stirred” has been ingrained in popular culture for over 60 years. Even if you’ve never seen a James Bond movie, chances are you’ve uttered that phrase more than once, especially if you’ve ever ordered yourself one of these cocktails.

But did you know that Bond doesn’t actually say those famous words that often? In fact, the majority of the time he has his favorite cocktail ordered for him by someone else. During Sean Connery’s tenure, he only said the phrase once, in Goldfinger. And curiously, in You Only Live Twice, when he’s served a Vodka Martini that is “stirred, and not shaken”, he simply remarks “perfect”. Roger Moore never once orders himself the iconic drink, and it is always offered to him instead. Moore jokingly remarked once that Bond couldn’t have been that good of a spy if every barman in the world knew what he was going to order when he walked through the door.

The character’s association with martinis began in 1953, when Ian Fleming’s first novel, Casino Royale, was published. In the book, Bond orders himself a dry martini, but with a difference. “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?” This cocktail, both an invention of the author and character, came to be called the Vesper Martini, named for 007’s tragic love interest in the story, Vesper Lynd.

The next time you pop on a Bond film while relaxing on the couch, make sure you have a Vodka Martini on hand. Shaken, of course, and not stirred.

What is the Best Alcohol to Use in a Vodka Martini?

When making James Bond’s favorite drink, I find it’s best to use the spy’s advice when it comes to vodka. In the book Casino Royale, after taking a long swig of his Vesper Martini, he remarked, “Excellent… but if you can get a vodka made with grain instead of potatoes, you will find it still better.” I always keep a bottle of organic rye vodka on hand, mainly because of Bond. As for the vermouth, you can’t go wrong with the perfect crispness of a Dolin dry.

What type of glassware and garnish are used?

A chilled martini glass with a lemon peel adds the perfect finishing zest to your drink. Or if you prefer, you can have your cocktail in a champagne goblet like Bond.

Why does James Bond prefer his martinis shaken?

There’s a few theories out there, but these two make the most sense: for starters, Bond isn’t on vacation, he’s working. He’ll enjoy a tipple, but if it’s diluted he won’t be as inebriated and can still focus on his mission. Also, a shaken martini will have less flavor than a stirred one, so if somebody poisons his drink he’ll more than likely be able to tell.

Vodka Martini Variations

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a pretty big James Bond fan. The books and movies were my introduction to the world of cocktails and I love making the connections between the two. Here at Twist & Toast, I’ve written a plethora of articles on a number of cocktails, and oftentimes I find myself making references to the world of 007 in my work. Check out some of these other classic, Bond-like recipes below.

• Vesper Martini – Learn to make the famous spy’s own concoction with gin, vodka and Lillet Blanc.
• Americano – Perfect for a hot day, the Americano has the distinction of being the first cocktail James Bond drinks in the books.
• Negroni – The classic Campari-based drink is enjoyed by Bond in the short story Risico.
• Pink Gin – One of author Ian Fleming’s favorite tipples.