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The James Bond 
cocktail bar

How to make and serve the favourite drinks of the world’s most 
famous secret agent

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................3
COCKTAIL RECIPES.........................................................................................................................4

The Vesper.......................................................................................................................................4

Kina Lillet and the Vesper.......................................................................................................... 4

Vodka Martini..................................................................................................................................5
Dry Martini...................................................................................................................................... 5
Black Velvet.................................................................................................................................... 5
Stinger..............................................................................................................................................6
Americano........................................................................................................................................6

CHAMPAGNE.....................................................................................................................................7
SPIRITS................................................................................................................................................8

Whiskey........................................................................................................................................... 8
Vodka and gin..................................................................................................................................8
Sake..................................................................................................................................................8
Other drinks..................................................................................................................................... 9

THE SIMPLE BAR NECESSITIES.................................................................................................. 10

Equipment......................................................................................................................................10
Glasses........................................................................................................................................... 10
Raw materials................................................................................................................................ 10
Preparing lemon peel slices........................................................................................................... 10

RESOURCES..................................................................................................................................... 11

Obtaining ingredients online..........................................................................................................11
Further reading...............................................................................................................................11

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

INTRODUCTION

The first reason for writing this ebook is that with the recent release of Casino Royale and much 
being made of the drink that James Bond later names the Vesper, now seems the right moment to 
take a fresh look at some of the drinks that have appeared in the film series. 
 
Also, it’s the beginning of December and the holiday season is rapidly approaching, the time of year 
when so many of us dust off our cocktail shakers and martini glasses in order to entertain family 
and friends and generally overindulge. Many people like to organise James Bond themed parties for 
New Year and if you’re planning on seeing in 2

007

 in this way then don’t forget to make sure you 

have stocked up on the ingredients for some of the basics at least.

So with that in mind the James Bond Cocktail Bar presents a selection of 007’s favourite drinks 
and how to mix them perfectly. And as well as drinks from the films we’ve also included some 
classic drinks that are mentioned in the books but never made the transition to celluloid. 

We hope you enjoy this book as much as we have enjoyed compiling it.

 
Cheers!

P.S. 

If you like this book remember to send it to your friends

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

COCKTAIL RECIPES

The Vesper

3 measures of Gordon's gin
1 measure of vodka
½ measure of Kina Lillet

Shake until ice cold and serve in a deep 
champagne goblet with a large thin slice of lemon 
peel

The recipe that appears in the film is exactly the same as the drink that James Bond orders in Ian 
Fleming’s book.

There are a couple of problems with this recipe though, the first being that Kina Lillet hasn’t been 
available for years; the product name was first changed to plain Lillet, and later Lillet Blanc. But 
more importantly the product was reformulated in the 1980s to make it less bitter by reducing the 
quinine content, so even if you do buy Lillet Blanc (or Lillet Blonde as it is called in some 
territories) the taste will be different. 

The second problem is simply that the alcohol content of Gordon’s gin has been reduced since the 
book was first published. Gordon’s is just 37.5% alcohol by volume, a shadow of its former self, 
and these two changes affect both the flavour and the strength of the drink.

A solution to these problems proposed by David Wondrich in Esquire magazine is to change the 
ingredients slightly:
 

Use Tanqueray instead of Gordon’s gin

100-proof Stolichnaya vodka

Replace Kina Lillet with Lillet Blanc

Use 1/8 teaspoon quinine powder to restore the Kina to Lillet - or 2 dashes of bitters can be 

used as a last resort

Kina Lillet and the Vesper

Information about Kina Lillet

  

Read the Esquire article

  

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

Vodka Martini

3 measures of vodka
½ measure of dry vermouth

Shake until ice cold and serve in a martini glass 
with a slice of lemon peel

Although some people assume that James Bond’s vodka martini is the Vesper, this is incorrect. 
Bond himself instructs Solitaire in Live And Let Die, the second book, on the proportions as given 
above - he doesn’t stipulate “shaken, not stirred” though until Dr No.

Dry Martini

3 measures of gin

1/2

 measure of dry vermouth

Stir with ice and serve in a martini glass with 
an olive or slice of lemon peel 

Although most people associate 007 with the Vodka martini due to it featuring so prominently in 
the films, the literary Bond also drinks traditional Dry Martinis made with gin. Fleming doesn’t 
specify how dry he likes his martinis, so you can adjust the amount of vermouth to taste.

Black Velvet

½ Guinness
½ Champagne 

Serve in a large Champagne glass or a pint glass

Bond mentions this to Bill Tanner, who he offers to take to lunch at Scott’s to go with the dressed 
crab.

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

Stinger

½ Cognac
½ White Crème de Menthe

Shake well and strain

From the book Diamonds Are Forever - 007 and Tiffany Case drink these after dining in New 
York.

Americano

1 measure of Campari
1 measure of Cinzano
Perrier soda water
1 large slice of lemon peel

Pour the Campari and Cinzano over ice in a glass, 
top up with soda water and add the slice of 
lemon.

Bond orders an Americano on several occasions in the books and it is noteworthy as it is the first 
drink he orders in the book Casino Royale. We also learn, in From A View To A Kill, that Bond 
thinks that the cheapest way to improve a poor drink is with expensive soda water, hence specifying 
Perrier.

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

CHAMPAGNE

James Bond actually drinks champagne more often than vodka martinis in the films, although you’d 
hardly think so. Although he drank Dom Perignon in the early years, Bollinger has been associated 
with the 007 franchise since A View To A Kill when it first appeared in the closing credits.

Bond’s Champagnes from both books and films 
include:

Bollinger – he orders the Grand Année in 

Casino Royale

Dom Perignon

Krug

Pommery

Taittinger Brut Blanc de Blanc

Veuve Clicquot (including rosé)

Champagne is always good to be drunk on special occasions, but in the short story 007 in New York 
Ian Fleming gives a recipe for 

Scrambled Eggs James Bond

 which he specifies should be served 

with pink champagne (Taittinger) and low music.

007

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

SPIRITS

Whiskey

Although Bond drinks a few whiskeys in the films, it turns out to be his favourite drink in the books 
– and that includes Champagne and vodka martinis. His top choice is bourbon – Old Grandad  is 
mentioned – but he also drinks a few glasses of scotch and soda too.

Often Bond drinks bourbon with branch water, 
specifying 50/50 when asked, but more usually 
bourbon on the rocks – think of the scene in 
Casino Royale when he is cleaning up after the 
fight in the stairwell when he knocks back a 
tumbler in one, that is pure Ian Fleming.

Vodka and gin

As well as drinking it in his martinis, Bond likes vodka both neat as well as with tonic (and 
sometime with angostura bitters). He also drinks gin and tonic.

Often accompanying caviar, the vodka must be 
served chilled. Bond also sometimes has the habit 
of sprinkling black pepper on the surface of the 
vodka to take the fusil oils to the bottom of the 
glass, a trick he picked up in Russia.

Sake

Remember the numerous glasses of sake he downs in You Only Live Twice – just remember to serve 
it at correct temperature, 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

Actually, Bond was wrong. There is no correct 
temperature for sake and higher temperatures are 
usually associated with the low-grade stuff. High 
quality sake is often said to be best enjoyed at 

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room temperature, although you can also chill it 
slightly.

Other drinks

Brandy - tends to be treated medicinally or carried in a flask mixed with coffee in the books or 

served with soda or ginger ale

Raki

Ouzo

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

THE SIMPLE BAR NECESSITIES

Equipment

Cocktail shaker

Strainer

Stirring spoon

Standard measure

Glasses

Martini glasses

Tumblers

Highball glasses

Champagne flutes

Wine glasses

Raw materials

Selection of spirits (according to what you are planning to serve)

Mixers (tonic water, soda water)

Beer

Selection of juices

Mineral water

Plenty of ice

Preparing lemon peel slices

Cut the ends off a fresh lemon

Remove the pulp with a spoon

With a sharp knife, cut empty peel lengthways into quarter-inch strips

Serve with Vesper or Vodka Martini

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The James Bond Cocktail Bar

RESOURCES

Obtaining ingredients online

Although most of the drinks in the book are easy to find you also have the option of buying online. 
And one ingredient, Lillet, is so difficult to buy at the moment that your only choice my be the web.

We’ve found two websites where you can buy Lillet, one in the United Kingdom and the other in 
the United States – between them you should be able to order wherever you live in the world.

The Drink Shop

 - UK, also ships to Europe

Morrell Wine

 - USA, will ship worldwide (minimum non-US order value $200)

Further reading

The James Bond Dossier

  

MI6.co.uk

  

Make Mine a 007…

  

This ebook is in no way associated with Ian Fleming Publications, EON Productions, Danjaq LLC, 
Sony, MGM or United Artists. Recipe extracts from novels copyright Ian Fleming Publications. 

Original content copyright © 2006 The James Bond Cocktail Bar 

Date of this version (1.6): 6 December 2006

The James Bond Cocktail Bar is free to download and distribute in its entirety only, provided 
no charge is made for doing so. 

Click here

 for the latest version.

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