The Vesper

was the drink that Bond orders in the first Flemming book Casino Royale.

The recipe for Bond's "Vesper" martini, as described in the 1953 book:

'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?'

The Lillet is not easily available and HI had to resort to ordering it online from drink shop. But is also available at drinkon and Harvey Nick's.

In reality it is somewhat disappointing lacking any depth and actually seeming a little watery.

HI calls the Vesper a corrupted, weakened martini. He feels that "you need a damn good reason to have vodka in your cocktail and that it's only really used in smoothies to alkalise the fruit, as in many modern British cocktails". He has no problem with it being Flemming's favourite drink as "the dilution and Vermouth cocktail of your Martini is as personal as your taste in ladies. The Lillet is not the problem, but it is sweeter than your typical Noilly Prat and is in a heavier dose than your modern Martini drinker would expect. The vodka only adds to dilute the gin flavour. The gin and Lillet in your typical martini ratios ie 10:1 makes for interesting diversion but still is not the classic dry martini with dry vermouth".

Ok then..