one of these days I'd like to order a Vesper just to see if the bartender knows how to make it
I think I'll have to try one of those myself...
"A dry martini," [Bond] said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."
"Oui, monsieur."
"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?"
"Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
"Gosh, that's certainly a drink," said Leiter.
Bond laughed. "When I'm...er...concentrating," he explained, "I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."
-Ian Fleming, Casino Royale
Since many of the original ingredients from 1953 are no longer available or have been reformulated, several variations are available that attempt to recapture the original flavour of the drink:
* The original recipe called for Kina Lillet, which is no longer available. Lillet Blanc (also known as Lillet Blonde) is the usual replacement.
* Dry Vermouth (e.g. Cinzano Bianco or Cinzano Extra Dry) may be used as an expedient in the place of Lillet Blanc if it is unavailable.
* To recreate the original bitter flavor of Kina Lillet, add a dash or two of Angostura bitters or a pinch (1/16 (or .0625) of a teaspoon) of Quinine powder.
* For a more traditional flavor, use 100-proof Stolichnaya Vodka to bring the alcohol content of the Vodka back to 1953 levels (it was also one of James Bond's favorite brands).
* Likewise, Tanqueray Gin provides the traditional flavor of 94-proof gin; whereas Gordon's Gin was reformulated to less than 80-proof.
* Some esoteric Bond fans may prefer to substitute Boodles British Gin, as is named for Boodle's gentlemen's club, of which Ian Fleming was a member.
* A cocktail glass, which is larger today than was common in 1953, is often substituted for the deep Champagne goblet, which reduces the volume of the drink.