A Proper Vesper
007's martini riff, done right
Through a series of unpredictable circumstances — getting into pinball, then getting into 007 pinball, then purchasing a 007 pinball machine, and then deciding to watch all the James Bond films — I have found myself once again in need of a proper Vesper.
The Vesper is a cocktail invented by Ivar Bryce, a friend of Sir Ian Fleming, and featured in the novel and film adaptation of Casino Royale. In both the novel and the film, Bond conveys this recipe to the bartender:
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.
There are a few problems with trying to make this recipe today. As David Wondrich notes, Gordon’s gin was 94 proof at the time (vs. 80 today) and the vodka used would’ve been 100 proof (vs. commonly 80 today). These are easy enough to compensate for, as you can readily find 94-proof gin (Tanqueray will do) and 100-proof vodka (Stoli will do).
However, Kina Lillet isn’t produced any more, and has been replaced by the sweeter Lillet Blanc, which is completely inadequate for this drink. Probably due to the popularity of the Vesper, Lillet Blanc is very easy to find, and commonly mistaken for a proper Vesper ingredient. It even made an appearance in the film Quantum of Solace (seen above), where Bond drinks an improbable six Vespers while in-flight. Sorry Mr. Bond, but these were not proper Vespers.
What you need for a proper Vesper is a period-appropriate quinquina — an aromatized wine with bitter quinine added to it. Fortunately, Cocchi Americano still fits the bill here and is widely available. Its formula hasn’t changed, so it remains appropriately bitter. There’s also a newer alternative in Tempus Fugit’s Kina L'Aéro d'Or, although I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t vouch for it personally.
Making a Vesper
Now that we’ve got the right ingredients, we can get to work. The Vesper is not hard to make, but it is hard. The drink has over 4 ounces of alcohol, most of it over 90 proof. You need to be very careful with this drink, lest it immediately knock you into a disorienting stupor, as it has done to me on more than one occasion.
It’s very probable that stirring the Vesper will make a better cocktail. It’ll be less diluted, with a smoother texture and no ice shards. However, when 007 requests it, he requests it shaken, so I really don’t see how anyone can justify stirring it. Also, it’s not the worst idea to dilute 4 ounces of alcohol a bit, and if the ice shards bother you, then feel free to double-strain. In the Sunken Galley, we shake.
Vesper
3 oz London dry gin (94 proof, such as Tanqueray)
1 oz vodka (100 proof, such as Stoli 100)
½ oz Cocchi Americano (or Kina L'Aéro d'Or)
Large thin slice of lemon peel, for garnish
Shake the gin, vodka, and Cocchi Americano together until ice-cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist the lemon peel over the drink and then drop it in.
☞ Alan Joyce / The Sunken Galley