25 replies to this topic

[MHazard]

Since I re-read CR and saw the movie I started drinking Vespers (3 parts Gin, 1 part Vodka, 1/2 part Lillet over a lemon twist). I discovered Fleming knew what he was talking about. After experimentation I generally make mine with Boodles Gin, Belvedere Vodka (sometimes Chopin) and, of course, Lillet (Blanc). I recently read the Esquire article where because of changes in formulas, Lillet changed it's formula to decrease the quinine, the author reccommends adding some quinine powder (I don't know where you get that) or some bitters. He also reccomends higher octane gin or vodka (if interested, go the Esquire on-line archives). I tried it with the addition of two dashes of bitters and it was also quite good. So, my question/topic. Has anyone else tried a Vesper? What do you think? Do you have any reccomended recipes? Does anyone have any other unconventional Fleming drink suggestions that they've tried and reccomended? (I have, of course, been drinking dry vodka martinis with a twist for years) Also, should this thread be under the Fleming literary section or the CR movie section?

[Bryce (003)]

Once, in Las Vegas, I was offered a "Goldeneye". The bartender, noting I was a Bond fan -might have had something to do with me wearing my tuxedo on a Wednesday night - had made the offering.

A vodka martini, light on the vermouth with Belvedere, shaken and the crowned with a half mesure of Macallan 25 single malt which all but floated in the center.

I'm a proud single malt man and appreciate good vodka, but combined, it was something different yet enticing.

To quote Daniel: "That's actually not half bad."

[MHazard]

Thanks, sounds worth a try. Anyone else got a good Bond related drink recipe or comment?

[DamnCoffee]

Anyone else got a good Bond related drink recipe or comment?

"Three measures of Gordons, one of Vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet, shake very well then add a thin slice of lemon peel."

[Qwerty]

There were several articles online around the time of Casino Royale's release which included some suggested "Bondian" drinks in addition to the usual ones.

[MHazard]

I read the Esquire one where the author tried to re-create the Vesper based on the different formula for Lillet and the higher in the 1950's alcohol content of Gordons (no longer considered a premium gin) but do you have links for any others?

[DamnCoffee]

Thought this could prove useful

DR NO
Overview: Sean Connery stars in the first 007 film, popularizing both the spy genre and the vodka martini. In it, James Bond travels to Jamaica, and thwarts Dr. No\\\'s plans to topple American rockets. A bikinied Ursula Andress becomes the first Bond girl.

What does Bond drink?

The festivities begin when Bond checks into his hotel room in Jamaica, where a bellman mixes him \\\"One medium dry vodka martini, mixed like you said, sir, and not stirred.\\\" The martini is made with Smirnoff Red vodka and a slice of lime. The bellman leaves behind the bottle of Smirnoff, an undetermined bottle of vermouth (it\\\'s mostly hidden by an ice bucket) and a bowl of lime wedges.
This is a good time to examine one of the great martini conspiracy theories, advanced by a handful of gin aficionados: Smirnoff invented the vodka martini solely as a marketing tie-in to the film version of Dr. No. Before 1962, everyone drank gin martinis.

Let us be the first to set the record straight

Attached Files

•  MAKE_MINE_A_007.doc   163KB   0 downloads
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•  STATISTICS.doc   90.5KB   0 downloads
•  Novel___Film_Statistics.doc   165KB   0 downloads

[Double-0-7]

I would think that about covers it!

[Blofeld's Cat]

You should link to the source, mharkin.

Make Mine A 007

[MHazard]

MHarkin who put that tremendous list together?

[DamnCoffee]

not me!

[Judo chop]

A vodka martini, light on the vermouth with Belvedere, shaken and the crowned with a half mesure of Macallan 25 single malt which all but floated in the center.

I'm a proud single malt man and appreciate good vodka, but combined, it was something different yet enticing.

A man after my own heart, Bryce.

I

[MHazard]

For those who are interested, I tried making a Vesper with Broker's gin, which is a 94 proof English gin, which according to Esquire is the proof Gordon's was when Fleming wrote CR and it works quite well. So, in summary, my recommended Vesper recipe is:

1 1/2 oz. Brokers or Boodles gin

1/2 oz. Belvedere vodka

1/4 oz. Lillet Blanc

optional 2 dashes of bitters (works well with or without).

I have also tried it with 3 oz gin, 1 oz vodka and 1/2 oz Lillet but you shouldn't plan on being able to leave the house if you have more than one in those quantities.

Enjoy. Now has anyone actually tried an Americano?

For those who are interested, I tried making a Vesper with Broker's gin, which is a 94 proof English gin, which according to Esquire is the proof Gordon's was when Fleming wrote CR and it works quite well. So, in summary, my recommended Vesper recipe is:

1 1/2 oz. Brokers or Boodles gin

1/2 oz. Belvedere vodka

1/4 oz. Lillet Blanc

optional 2 dashes of bitters (works well with or without).

I have also tried it with 3 oz gin, 1 oz vodka and 1/2 oz Lillet but you shouldn't plan on being able to leave the house if you have more than one in those quantities.


Enjoy. Now has anyone actually tried an Americano?

And, of course (I forgot to add because I thought it was obvious) shaken and not stirred and poured over a lemon twist in a large martini glass.

[bond_girl_double07]

I bought a bottle of Lillet for my bday and we never drank it Since then, the mixables (gin, vodka) went the way of the dodo, and now I have a whole bottle of Lillet just hanging around time to have another party, methinks

[MHazard]

Can't let the Lillet go to waste.

[Bryce (003)]

Bond girl - If you have the true Lillet Blanc vermouth, by all means, make sure you keep it chilled in the fridge.

As it should be.

[darkpath]

Bond girl - If you have the true Lillet Blanc vermouth, by all means, make sure you keep it chilled in the fridge.

As it should be.

Bryce,
Since Gordon's has changed their recipe, whose Gin are you partial to? I've heard recommendations of Beefeater; but, I'd like the opinion of someone's tastes I know & respect (hard pressed to think of anything whose tastes in such matters I respect more than yours).
Cheers,
Darkpath
0010

[Bryce (003)]

Why thank you kind sir. *bows*

Yes, the Gin issue (as Gordon's - while still respectable - is hardly what it was in Fleming's day) has been one I've done some *hic* research on.

There's fine one's out there, but combined with high end vodka and the true Lillet it's a bit dicey.

I have narrowed it down to the following. Just my opinion and to my taste though. To each their own.

- Boodles - fine, dry and yet flavorable
- Bombay Sapphire - Never much cared for it with tonic, but it balances nice on the palate.
- Tanqueray - If you prefer something sharper and distinctive, it's none too bad.

As my favorite nearby Italian restaurant carries the true Lillet (chilled), when I've been opting for a "Vesper" it is:

2 measures Bombay sapphire
1 measure Boodles
1 measure Belvedere or Grey Goose
1/2 measure Lillet

Shake it, strain it and up straight with a twist.

Exquisite. The bar at said restaurant now "knows it name" and offer a "Vesper" on their martini menu since I treated the manager and owner to one.

The combination of the Gin really makes it unique.

The "Vesper ala' Bryce"

[MHazard]

I have found that Boodles is a good gin for a Vesper, but I recently discovered Brokers Gin, from England, which seems to be a microdistillery who wins a bunch of awards for its gin. Most interestingly, it is 94 proof, which (as the article in Esquire pointed out) is the proof that Gordon's was when Flemming provided the Vesper recipe in CR. It also works quite well in a Vesper (and I have conducted much research at home on this).In general, I agree with Bryce's well thought out drinksmanship (I have a bottle of Belvedere chilling in my freezer).

[MHazard]

It's been a while, but I can now report on the Americano. This drink which Bond drinks in the story from a View to a Kill (and in other books) consists of: 1 measure of Campari; 1 measure of Cinzano (an Italian vermouth) poured over ice and topped with soda water (Bond always specifies Perrier, because expensive soda water is the cheapest way to improve a poor drink) but I was forced to use Schweppes) and with a large slice of lemon peel. Served in a rocks glass. Now, my review. First, the drink is quite bitter. This lends credence to the Esquire writer who noted that the 1950's receipe for Lillet was much more bitter due to quinine. James (Ian?) seems to like bitter drinks. Is this a metaphor? Secondly, it is not very alcoholic. This is surprising if you're used to the knockout punch of most of James' drinks, particularly the Vesper. Third, its actually quite refreshing, particularly if you're sitting outside on a porch drinking it on a nice spring day as I was yesterday. This is all very consistent with Bond's view while sitting at an outdoor cafe in the sun in paris that this was no locale for a "solid" drink and that the Americano was the best of the "musical comedy" drinks. In summary, I highly recommend it if you would like a refreshing Bond drink that will still allow you to funcition in whatever mission may be in store for you later in the day.

[darkpath]

I'll have to give the "Americano" a try. It sounds quite intriguing. If I'm required to go sans alcohol, I often just drink tonic water with fresh lime (for some insane reason, so places insist on sweetening their lime juice... ), so I suppose I have some of Bond's taste for bitter beverages.

[MHazard]

You might want to also check the thread on the general literary discussion on what non alcholic beverage would Bond be most likely to drink on a hot day.

[MkB]

It's been a while, but I can now report on the Americano. This drink which Bond drinks in the story from a View to a Kill (and in other books) consists of: 1 measure of Campari; 1 measure of Cinzano (an Italian vermouth) poured over ice and topped with soda water (Bond always specifies Perrier, because expensive soda water is the cheapest way to improve a poor drink) but I was forced to use Schweppes) and with a large slice of lemon peel. Served in a rocks glass. Now, my review. First, the drink is quite bitter. This lends credence to the Esquire writer who noted that the 1950's receipe for Lillet was much more bitter due to quinine. James (Ian?) seems to like bitter drinks. Is this a metaphor? Secondly, it is not very alcoholic. This is surprising if you're used to the knockout punch of most of James' drinks, particularly the Vesper. Third, its actually quite refreshing, particularly if you're sitting outside on a porch drinking it on a nice spring day as I was yesterday. This is all very consistent with Bond's view while sitting at an outdoor cafe in the sun in paris that this was no locale for a "solid" drink and that the Americano was the best of the "musical comedy" drinks. In summary, I highly recommend it if you would like a refreshing Bond drink that will still allow you to funcition in whatever mission may be in store for you later in the day.

I stumbled on this post while searching a thread about the Vesper... I was interested since the Vesper has aften all the interest, when the Americano is often disregarded (it was, yet, the first drink ever ordered by Bond in the novels).
It's actually one of my favourite long drinks (with the Mojito and Cuba Libre)! I like the bitter taste, and I also value the fact that you can have more than one of this drink without getting plastered. Also, I find it a perfect apéritif, as it can introduce every kind of meal (unlike the Mojito or Cuba Libre, depending on your taste).

The bitterness is typical of the Italian taste, IMO. On the shelves of an Italian department store, you'll find lots of local and international bitter apéritifs: vermouths, Campari, but also the German Jägermeister and the Hungarian Unicum, for instance. In an Italian caffè, you can simply order a "bitter" (there are the regular, but also alcohol-free "bitters"). The Americano is a very common drink there, and it's perfectly served in all the caffès where I've ordered it (be it a high end bar or a simple local caffè).

I find it striking that Fleming made this drink emblematic of French / Parisian bars, since I've never had a satisfying Americano in Paris (if I may phrase it this way ). I've been served some dreadful things (most notably, often without soda water, which makes it a terrible drink - too bitter even to my taste). I suppose high end Parisian bars serve proper Americanos, but in the average bar/restaurant, I've been terribly disappointed. I guess it has something to do with the tastes of French drinkers, who value bitterness less than Italian ones.

Another "funny" thing: I had always supposed, because of its name, that the Americano drink was of, well, American origin. But I've been surprised when I tried ordering it in US restaurants (I didn't try in proper bars, but the restaurants did have a full bar): the waiters didn't know what the drink was. Yet, one of them brought me a very decent Americano after asking me some precisions, and then confessed he had just looked the recipe up on the Internet!

[Professor Pi]

Anyone able to locate the '74 Phu Yuck?

[Revelator]

As someone pointed out, Flmeing's Bond drank bourbon just as often as martinis, and in LALD he seems to have especially liked Old Grand-Dad. So I decided to go out looking for this spirit.
I should note that I am not a drinking man. Most alcohol tastes like window-cleaner to me, and I inadvertently make a bitter beer face when the drink hits my mouth.
Anyway, I couldn't find Old Grand-Dad in any of my local liquor shops in San Francisco. But then I traveled to visit some friends in Hercules, an east-bay suburb 12 miles from Berkeley, and found a bottle of 86 proof OD in a local Rite-Aid. I was surprised to see one of Bond's local drinks in a chintzy local drugstore, but it was on sale and Fleming's ghost told me to go ahead and make the purchase.
I went home and split the bottle with my friend, who provided ice and glasses.
So how was it? Pretty good actually, but remember, I'm not a liquor expert and have a limited palette. Old Grand-Dad is a strong, stomach-pounder of a drink, with an elusive hint of sweetness and a woody, smoky essence. It's a goodd rink for sitting by the fire and feeling Bondian with.
But there's a big question: is this the same stuff Bond drank, or has the recipe changed during the past 50 years? Only liquor experts will know for sure.

[Byron]

As someone pointed out, Flmeing's Bond drank bourbon just as often as martinis, and in LALD he seems to have especially liked Old Grand-Dad. So I decided to go out looking for this spirit.
I should note that I am not a drinking man. Most alcohol tastes like window-cleaner to me, and I inadvertently make a bitter beer face when the drink hits my mouth.
Anyway, I couldn't find Old Grand-Dad in any of my local liquor shops in San Francisco. But then I traveled to visit some friends in Hercules, an east-bay suburb 12 miles from Berkeley, and found a bottle of 86 proof OD in a local Rite-Aid. I was surprised to see one of Bond's local drinks in a chintzy local drugstore, but it was on sale and Fleming's ghost told me to go ahead and make the purchase.
I went home and split the bottle with my friend, who provided ice and glasses.
So how was it? Pretty good actually, but remember, I'm not a liquor expert and have a limited palette. Old Grand-Dad is a strong, stomach-pounder of a drink, with an elusive hint of sweetness and a woody, smoky essence. It's a goodd rink for sitting by the fire and feeling Bondian with.
But there's a big question: is this the same stuff Bond drank, or has the recipe changed during the past 50 years? Only liquor experts will know for sure.

Interesting story. I also saw Old Grand Dad once but it disappeared from the shelves soon after. Someone should come up with a list of drinks from the novels still available and also whether its the same recipe/owner or it has changed. Many a time, i hear the old timers say "such and such is not what it used to be". I also have a feeling this applies to alcoholic drinks.

Here is a great article on Bond drinks, past and present. For the record "Wolfschmidt" vodka still exists but sadly in name only, as it's now produced in the US instead of Latvia and owned by Jim Beam.

http://www.ft.com/cm...00779e2340.html