The Vesper Martini, has anyone had one?

wakwak007 · July 2007

I have a two part question for the forum: First has any of the members had and/or made a Vesper Martini? What are your thoughts on the drink?
The second part,is I would like to try out the Martini and have searched a few websites and have found out the variated ingredients to make a Vesper Martini, however as a floridian, I am having problems finding a company that sells the Lillet Blanc or that ships to Florida. I have exchanged a few e-mails with a New York rep of the company however I still haven't gotten a clear answer as to the nearest distributor to Orlando, Fl.:(|) Does anybody have any suggestions or a reliable company I could go to?
Thanks in Advance -{

Mr Martini · July 2007

Do have a place called Beverages & More (sometimes called BevMo!)? I'm not sure if this is it or not, or if they ship to Florida:

http://www.bevmo.com/productinfo.asp?sku=00000007146&Dn=166+168&Nr=Store%3A99&Ntt=lillet+blanc&N=168+0&Ne=171+3+5+270+269+11+12+7+8+167+271+10+29+64+6+44+25+9+255+256+67+272+24+26+273+275+277+279+281+283+285+287+289+291+293+295+297+299+301+303&Nty=1&D=lillet+blanc&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&nocontinue=s&cntShpng1Rec=1

If you don't or they don't ship to Florida, try going into a specialty grocery store. Talk to manager of the store, or they may even have a Liquior(sp?) department manager. Sometimes they can get things the big chains can't.
Good luck!

7289 · July 2007

BevMo is indeed the place to get the Kina Lillet!

I bought a bottle there last fall along with the Gordon's Gin and some Vodka (Smirnoff)

Had a couple of Vespers to celebrate the premier of CR'06. What's the best way to described the drink....it's a Martini! (I prefer Henry McKenna myself)

I would not belt down more than three at a time, and would avoid taking out the Aston afterwards.

Fleming doesn't specify a brand of Vodka for the Vesper, but in a later novel (I think its "Moonraker") Bond gives a lecture about Vodka, and elaborates that a Vodka made from grain is superior to a potato based Vodka.

I doubt you can find a potato based vodka outside of a still run by a fellow named "Ivan", but still you could research it.

There are those who call DC "Old Potato Head" and if you are inclined to agree with them, then the potato based Vodka is the one for you!

wakwak007 · July 2007

Thank you Mr. Martini & 7289!
At least around Orlando we do not have any BevMo's, however I will try your ideas and check a few more specality stores. I will also have to look around for a few grain Vodka's. I now when i was on my honeymoon in San Fran when we went to visit Napa Valley their was a winery who also made his own Vodka, I will have to check around.

Mr Martini · July 2007

wakwak007 wrote:

Thank you Mr. Martini & 7289!
At least around Orlando we do not have any BevMo's, however I will try your ideas and check a few more specality stores. I will also have to look around for a few grain Vodka's. I now when i was on my honeymoon in San Fran when we went to visit Napa Valley their was a winery who also made his own Vodka, I will have to check around.

Good luck on your search. Did you happen to remember the name of the winery you visited? I talk to a person on-line who lives in Napa. If he knows where the winery is or has any inside info, I can post it here. I also checked BevMos site. It looks like they may only be a California store. Maybe you have something similar in Florida.....

7289 · July 2007

I took out the bottle of Lillet I bought last year, the importer is as follows:

William Grant & Sons' Inc.
130 Fieldcrest Ave.
Edison, NJ 08837

Oh, be careful Lillet contains sulfides!!!

P.S. Found this source:

http://www.champagnewines.com/vermouth/lillet.htm

wakwak007 · July 2007

Thanks 7289-
I stopped by today a ABC liquor store in a nicer part of town (Winter Park) and ordered me a bottle. They said it should come in next week. If it does not I will certainly give Grant and Son's a call. Sulfides..the nerve ( Ha HA) Thanks again, I am really looking forward to trying this out with some friends hopefully by next weekend and taking your suggestions while watching Casino Royale.

7289 · July 2007

OK wakwak007,

Maybe I'll mix one up myself tomarrow and toast the 4th of July!

wakwak007 · July 2007

Cheers!-{

James F E · July 2007

While Fleming gave us this Martini, imho to really enjoy a Martini, use Bombay Gin in the blue bottle w/ 1 drop of vermouth (literally), shake w/ plenty of ice & strain, w/ a lemon peel.
The Martini is my cocktail of choice & this is the most enjoyable mix. I'm not a vodka man & Gordons just isn't what it used to be. Cheers-{

7289 · July 2007

James FE,

Bond would approve of your Martini mix, very cold and very strong (just a drop of Vermouth)!

Instead of lemon peel add a couch to fall on to after the third!

wakwak007 · July 2007

James FE,
Like you I prefer Bombay's Blue Sapphire.

James F E · July 2007

Instead of lemon peel add a couch to fall on to after the third![/quote]

i prefer a brunett to a couch.:v -{

wakwak007 · July 2007

Hey I just wanted to follow up and say thanks to everyone for your help. I found that ABC Wine and Liquor ordered me a bottle of Lillet Blanc and with some Bombay Blue Sapphire Gin and Three Olive Vodka, I finally tried a Vesper Martini and liked it. In fact, my wife had a sip and liked it, though she is not a gin drinker. Again thanks for everyone's help.;)

7289 · July 2007

I did mix up some Vespers on the 4th of July, using the Gordon's, and da*n if they were'nt better than I remembered.

I even went out and bought another bottle of Lillet - just in case!!!

Thanks for the re-inspiration, wakwak007!

{[]

JADE66 · July 2007

Fleming was criticized for his use of Kina Lillet
as it contains quinine and might be bitter in a martini. Vesper even alludes to the "bitter aftertaste" in the film version of CR. I haven't been able to try it myself because KIna Lillet is hard to come by. I'm definitely a Gordon's man though. Since Smirnoff is the vodka used in the films since Connery's day I think that would be the correct choice. BOnd never specifies which brand of vodka he prefers in the novels.(At least I don't think he does.)
But he does have Wolfschmidt at Blades with M in
"Moonraker".

Predator · July 2007

All of these external links and no one links to the threads already on the site 8-) http://www.ajb007.co.uk/index.php?topic=27393

The art of searching is truly dead

)

Personally I like the Vesper 'Martini', but I'm a traditionalist really and am happy with just a dry vodka Martini with 2 olives (no more no less)

7289 · July 2007

Jade66,

Thanks for reminding me of the "Club Wolfschmidt" - knew a Vodka Brand was mentioned in the books!

I used Smirnoff for the reason you mentioned, and Gordon's (in a glass bottle - not plastic). When producing the first round of Vespers I poured the 3-1-1/2 combination into the shaker (over ice) jumped up and down and poured it out into the requisite deep champagne goblet.

This first round did seem a tad bitter.

For the July 4th round, I prepared the 3-1-1/2 formula in a glass - no mixing, then poured the result over the ice in the shaker, jumped about again. This time the drinks were smoother, no bitterness!!

wakwak007 · July 2007

I was debating whether to be true to the book/movie or the posted variations. However the only gin I like is Bombay's, so I went with that and had limited choices on Vodka, so I just went the the idea of a) none potato based Vodka b)a smooth vodka in case I needed to offset the taste of the Bombay. Next time I will try it with "Club Wolfschmidt" and if I can't find it, my first choice of "V5 vodka" however last night I went to a "Albertson's" and again they had a limited selection.

7289 · July 2007

I made mine with the ingridents listed in the book, but don't think it would be a great sin if you improved on the gin and vodka.

I may look for some Wolfschmidt and use that instead of Smirnoff next time - sooner or later I will have to get oo7 himself over, since it will take a real drinker like him to down all this extra booze!

Barbel · July 2007

JADE66 wrote:

BOnd never specifies which brand of vodka he prefers in the novels.(At least I don't think he does.)

Kingsley Amis in his James Bond Dossier backs Smirnoff as Bond's vodka. Smirnoff White Label is specified.

I did try a proper Bond Martini once, around 1980, in a bar which claimed it used the official recipe, but didn't like it much being a whisky man.

D_Somerset · July 2008

I was doing some experimental mixology last night, thought I'd add to this dusty topic-

Vodka- Drank Smirnoff for years, due to 007 's preference, but when they went with Finlandia for the one time in the Brosnan era, I tried that and preferred it. It's my standard brand now.
Gin- About the only gin drink I ever have is a Vesper, so I go with a good quality gin without breaking the bank, usually Tanqueray. Bombay Sapphire is simply too pricy for the occassional drink.
Vermouth- Still have been unable to get ahold of a bottle of Lillet, so I stick with Martini & Rossi.

Okay, so last night, in a fit of rage, I decided to try something different to at least try to approximate a proper Vesper made with Lillet- here's what I came up with.

2 oz Gin
1 oz vodka
just barely 1/4 oz dry vermouth
5 or 6 drops of Angostura Bitters
Shake well over ice, strain into glass, and add a nice long lemon twist.

The bitters give it a decent approximation of the quinine in the old-style Lillet, and really give it an interesting undercurrent of flavor. It also gives the drink an unusual tint, so it looks like a martini, only not really.

Let me know if you try it what you think of it, especially if you've had a proper Vesper with Lillet before- how does it compare?

Cheers!-{

7289 · July 2008

Too bad you have not been able to fid the Lillet, I actually bought an extra bottle at BevMo a few months back, just to insure a long lasting supply.

Might be awhile before I get through the supplies I have, don't have ocassion to down this hard stuff too often.

But who knows the price of gasoline might encourage me ..... makes me wonder how a Vesper might work in the gas tank of my car?????

ycpchief · July 2008

Anyone looking for Lillet Blanc can find it here,
http://morrellwine.com/index.php. Morrell wine sells it for $17.95 a bottle and will ship. I have ordered from them several times and have always found my order on my doorstep in a few days. The Vesper is too bitter for my taste but every Bond fan should try one at least once.{[]

guss · July 2008

Hi,
Over here in the UK, I have found it quite hard to get Kina Lillet, So I have used "Noilly Prat" Vermouth which was recomended by my local off-licence (liquer store to you Yanks). All vermouths contain sulfites as they are based on wines.
It is avery strong drink indeed, I can handle two then another maybe. Has any one tried RON MIEL ,honey and rum its a Canary Islands drink?

D_Somerset · July 2008

guss wrote:

Has any one tried RON MIEL ,honey and rum its a Canary Islands drink?

Guss- I'm intrigued- is Ron Miel a cocktail, or an actual bottled liquor?

By the way- for those Bond fans looking for something new, DC in CR orders a "Mount Gay and soda" at the club in the Bahamas. What he gets looks more like a Mount Gay and coke, but I tried it. I was never a rum drinker, but Mount Gay (from Barbados) is by far the finest rum I've ever had, far superior to Bacardi or Myers, more like a non-spiced version of Captain Morgans. Now I've added a couple of rum-and-cokes to my weekly intake, and it also makes an excellent Mojito, even though it's darker tint makes for a funny-looking version of that particular cocktail.
Cheers!
-{

ycpchief · July 2008

I agree, Mount Gay is by far the best rum I've tried mixing with coke/soda. I never thought to try it for a mojito.

guss · July 2008

D_Somerset
its a speciality of the canary islands it is a liquor of honey and rum we discovered it on our honeymoon in millionares gran canaria.

wakwak007 · July 2008

I'll have to look inot the run drinks..very interesting...THanks!]

The Vesper Martini, has anyone had one?

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