Vesper (cocktail)
| Type | Cocktail |
|---|---|
| Ingredients |
|
| Base spirit | Gin |
| Standard drinkware | Cocktail glass |
| Standard garnish | lemon zest |
| Served | Straight up: chilled, without ice |
| Preparation | Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. |
The Vesper is a cocktail that was originally made of gin, vodka, and Kina Lillet. Since that form of Lillet is no longer produced, modern bartenders need to modify the recipe to mimic the original taste, with Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano as a typical substitute.
The drink was popularised by author Ian Fleming (1908–1964) in his 1953 novel Casino Royale, in which the character James Bond invents the recipe and names the cocktail after Vesper Lynd. Fleming's Bond calls it a "special martini", and though it lacks the vermouth that defined a martini in Fleming's day, it is sometimes called a Vesper martini.