Bond’s had his fair share of reasons to drink over the years. Between fighting criminal masterminds and seducing his many girls, he’s had to put up with a lot for King and Country. Like his character though, there’s more to Bond than his signature vodka martini (shaken not stirred, of course). He’s a man who knows his drink and knows precisely how he likes it, both on the screen and on paper. We look at Bond’s beverages through the ages.
The vodka martini is perhaps the drink the British agent is most famous for but just because he takes his “shaken not stirred” doesn’t mean you should. It’s well known that shaking causes a cloudier result in the glass and you’ll end up with a watered down version, which is less than ideal. Bond’s also been know to state that he prefers Polish and Russian vodka, so it’s only fitting that his brand of choice for Spectre is Belvedere.
Invented by Bond in Ian Flemming’s Casino Royale (1953). It’s precisely made from “three measures of Gordon’s [gin], one [part] of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake[en] very well until it’s ice-cold” and then garnished by adding a large slice of lemon-peel, as told by Bond himself. While Kina Lillet no longer exists, you can substitute with Lillet Blanc.
Being a man of tradition, Bond throws one back with his nemesis Goldfinger while on a ranch in Kentrucky. Made from bourbon, sugar, mint and lots of ice, it’s easy to see why this popular drink in the South is so well suited to the warmer climate. Find our recipe for this Southern classic, here.
Another staple in Bond’s drinking repertoire, the old fashioned makes multiple appearances through out the novels. Bond takes his old fashioned using Old Grand-dad bourbon, ordering it almost always as a double. We’ll agree to that.
Ordered more times than any other drink by Bond is the simple whisky and soda. His preference for whisky varies from Scotch to American and almost always depends on the where in the world his missions take him. While perfect for showcasing a great whisky, don’t go using your favourite dram, you’ll only be watering it down.
You won’t find this cocktail in any of the Bond classics but you can sure thank him for making it one of the most popular drinks in the noughties. In his usual level of sophistication not yet mastered elsewhere, Bond uses the drink to introduce himself to leading lady Jinx, played by Halle Berry while in Cuba in Die Another Day (2002).
When not throwing back cocktails, Bond has three preferences for Champagne, all from reputable houses. You’ll find him almost always ordering Bollinger in the films and dabbling with rare vintages of Veuve Clicquot, Pommery and Dom Perignon both on screen and in the novels but ordered more time than anything else is his personal favourite, pink Tattinger Champagne.
The Americano is the first drink Bond ever orders, it’s made from Campari, vermouth, soda and garnished with an orange slice no less. Bond prefers Perrier too as his choice of soda, if you were wondering and only ever drinks this lighter cocktail outdoors. His favourite haunt? Cafes on the sides street of Paris.
That’s right, Bond was way ahead of the trend ordering negronis way back in the 60s, preferring his to be made with Gordon’s gin. Find our recipe, here.
As a whisky lover it would only seem natural that Bond would like a whisky sour. Made with traditionally with bourbon, lemon juice and sugar, go for a Scotch whisky and use a sugar syrup for ease of mixing. It also has the added bonus of being shaken rather than stirred, just like his favourite martini.
Bold and daring just like our main man, the manhattan is the perfect alternative to the martini. Made with rye whisky, vermouth, bitters and a maraschino cherry or orange peel, this is one cocktail Bond would be sure to rock.
When not skiing on the Austrian Alps or fighting the Russians, we’re sure Bond would love the Tom Collins during one of his many missions in the Caribbean swamming about on tropical islands. Made with gin, lemon juice, sugar and soda water, it’s both refreshing and light and the perfect way to escape the heat.
If Bond had a summer vacation here, he would almost certainly encounter the revival and drink du jour of the gin and tonic. Knowing his preference for Gordon’s, he’d take his as a double and with a slice of lime – in a lowball, of course.
