Drinks expert David Gerrans (from The Whip in Mayfair) picks out his top three James Bond cocktails and shows you how to make them at home.
The first cocktail ordered by 007 in the book Casino Royale is the Americano Cocktail. Traditionally an Aperitivo, it consists of sweet vermouth, Campari, and soda. Throughout the books a plethora of different spirits, wines, cocktails, and liqueurs are ordered but most prevalent amongst these is the recurrence of scotch, drank neat and with soda. By comparison in Bonds illustrious film career he orders very little on screen. The most famous is the Martini, and this is likely to make an appearance in the upcoming film Spectre as Belvedere vodka has partnered with the Bond brand in “the largest global campaign Belvedere has done”. Seeing as Heineken paid $45 million to be in Skyfall, I can assume they paid a fair chunk. Below are my recommended recipes for an Americano, Scotch & Soda, and Vodka Martini.
Americano
35ml Sweet Vermouth (Antica Formular)
35ml Campari
Soda Water
Lots of cubed ice.
Add all ingredients to a tall glass and garnish with an orange wedge.
Scotch & Soda
50ml Talisker 10yr
Fever Tree Soda (it has larger bubbles than most brands)
1 grind of black pepper
Add the scotch to a tall glass and top with cubed ice. Stir this a few times until the ice has fallen into its natural grooves and chilled the scotch, top with more cubed ice. Add the soda slowly down one side of the glass, gently stir again. Lastly grind the pepper on top. This is a surprisingly elegant, refreshing drink, that isn’t ordered enough in my opinion.
Vodka Martini
60ml Vodka (007 specifies grain vodka)
15ml Dry Vermouth (Noilly Pratt or Lillet Blanc)
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice and stir, taste occasionally until your preferred dilution is achieved, strain into a cocktail glass with a slice of lemon zest. I would recommend ordering a Martini at a good bar a couple of times before trying to make one at home. To order the above ask for a “Slightly wet, vodka martini with a lemon twist”.
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