What Does James Bond Drink? The Vesper and 2 Martinis

Quick answer: the three main James Bond cocktails are the Vesper, the Vodka Martini, and the classic Martini. The easiest is the Vodka Martini, which uses two ingredients plus an olive.

Everyone knows the line. Fewer people know the drink behind it, or that Bond has a second drink of his own.

Here is the difference. Bond’s famous order is a vodka martini, "shaken, not stirred," a line from the films. The Vesper is a drink from Ian Fleming's 1953 novel Casino Royale; in the 2006 film Casino Royale Bond names it after Vesper Lynd. A classic martini is gin and dry vermouth and is normally stirred, so Bond's order is the opposite.

Here are the three drinks, with the amounts you need to make them at home.

The Vesper: James Bond's book drink

This is the drink from the 1953 novel. It is strong and herbal, with a distinct lemon peel garnish.

What you need: 2 oz Gin, ½ oz Vodka, ⅓ oz Lillet Blanc.

Shake over ice until well chilled, then strain into a deep goblet and garnish with a thin slice of lemon peel.

James Bond's Vodka Martini

This is the order from the films. The Vodka Martini is the easiest drink on this list because it has only two liquid ingredients.

What you need: 1½ oz Vodka, ¾ oz Dry Vermouth, garnish Olive.

Shake the vodka and vermouth together with a number of ice cubes, strain into a cocktail glass, add the olive and serve.

The classic Martini, the opposite of James Bond's order

For contrast, here is the standard Martini. It is gin-based and stirred, which is the opposite of how Bond orders his.

What you need: 1⅔ oz Gin, ⅓ oz Dry Vermouth, garnish Olive.

Pour all ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain in chilled martini cocktail glass. Squeeze oil from lemon peel onto the drink, or garnish with olive.

What "extra dirty" means for a James Bond martini

If you order a martini "dirty," the bartender adds olive brine, the salty liquid from the jar. It turns the drink cloudy and makes it savory instead of sharp. A normal dirty martini gets about ¼ to ½ oz of brine. "Extra dirty" just means more brine, so the drink tastes more like the olive jar than the gin or vodka.

To make one at home, build the Vodka Martini above and add the brine before you shake. Start with ½ oz, taste it, and add a little more if you want it saltier. Then garnish with two or three olives.

Here is my honest take: I'm not a big martini guy, as much as I try to be. I like strong drinks, so I feel like I should like martinis. I've tried it dirty and I've tried it extra dirty, and I'm still not a fan. I just can't unlock my inner Bond. If you love them, more power to you.

A cocktail named Casino Royale, but not James Bond's

Fun side note: there is also a Casino Royale cocktail, and it is not the movie's drink. It is gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, orange bitters and an egg yolk, so it is closer to a gin sour than anything Bond orders. Same name, completely different drink. If you want to be technically correct, order the Vesper.

How to make the James Bond drinks look the part

• Use a chilled cocktail glass for all three drinks.
• For the Vesper, the lemon peel is essential. Twist it over the glass to release the oils before dropping it in.
• For the martini, an olive is traditional, but a lemon twist works if you prefer something less savory.
• Keep the drinks cold. Stir or shake quickly to avoid diluting them too much.

James Bond cocktail questions

What is the easiest James Bond cocktail?

The Vodka Martini. It uses only vodka and dry vermouth, plus an olive for garnish.

What is the strongest James Bond cocktail?

The Vesper. It combines gin and vodka, making it higher in alcohol than the martini.

What does "extra dirty" mean on a martini?

It means extra olive brine (see dirty in our glossary). A regular dirty martini gets about ¼ to ½ oz of brine, and extra dirty gets more than that, so the drink is cloudy and salty.

Is the Vesper from a book or a movie?

It is from Ian Fleming's 1953 novel Casino Royale. The 2006 film also features it, where Bond names it after Vesper Lynd.

How is a Vodka Martini different from a classic Martini?

A Vodka Martini uses vodka and is shaken, while a classic Martini uses gin and is stirred.

If you want to try these, you can find the full recipes on our Vesper, Vodka Martini, and Martini pages.

Cheers, and happy sipping.