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Vesper martini

Published: 28 Feb 14
Updated: 18 Mar 24

This famous cocktail taken right out of Casino Royale is a wonderful recipe of gin and vodka – with a garnish of lemon. Shaken not stirred, or however you prefer, Mr Bond.

(Or, for a darker twist, take a look at our espresso martini.)

Easy
March 2014

Test kitchen approved

Makes one cocktail
5 mins

This famous cocktail taken right out of Casino Royale is a wonderful recipe of gin and vodka – with a garnish of lemon. Shaken not stirred, or however you prefer, Mr Bond.

(Or, for a darker twist, take a look at our espresso martini.)

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Ingredients

3 measures gin
1 measure vodka
½ measure Lillet (see tip)
Lemon twist to serve

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Method

Shake (don’t stir) all the ingredients over ice (see tip if making for a party), then strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a lemon twist (see tip), then serve straightaway.

Recipe from March 2014 Issue

delicious. tips

Bond mentions Kina Lillet, which no longer exists. Use Lillet, instead, a similar French vermouth, available from drinks shops or thewhiskyexchange.com
For a crowd, scale up the quantities and make it in a jug. Keep covered in the freezer for a few hours before serving. Pour into frozen martini glasses to serve.
For the perfect lemon twist garnish, pare off a strip of peel from an unwaxed lemon with a sharp knife. Turn it pith up and slice off as much of the white pith as you can. Twist over the martini in the glass to add tiny drops of lemon oil to the drink.