This one isn't mine. It's straight from the book.
Vespers (AKA "The James Bond Martini")
Vespers (AKA "The James Bond Martini")
- 3 oz gin
- 1 oz vodka
- 1/2 oz lillet blanc (the original recipe calls for Kina Lillet, which hasn't been available since the mid 80's)
Profile
bovil- Andrew Trembley
- The Bovine Illuminati
Comments
Dry vermouth is the Marseille dry fortified aperetif wine, bittered with wormwood and herbs and let to roast in its barrels in the hot Marseille sun (part of the reason it lasts forever).
Lillet Blanc is the Bordeliais dry aperetif wine, bittered with quinine (hence "Kina"), orange peel and herbs. The original Kina Lillet formula had more quinine and was more bitter than the current incarnation.
Both add a smidge of acid and sweetness to a Martini, but the citrus and quinine hints in Lillet really match up with the gin well. At an 8-1 ratio it's very subtle.
Here's my gift to you, one of my favorite drink recipes . . .
Native's Revenge (that is what I call it at least)
1.5 oz pure, fresh squeezed lemon juice
1.5 oz gin
Mix in a martini shaker with lots of ice, strain ice and serve in a martini glass.