HOW TO DRINK LIKE JAMES BOND

The bottles and brands that make up Bond’s drinks cabinet from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig are part of an evening hosted by Tom Harrow of Honest Grapes and bespoke tailor Timothy Everest. Brush off your evening suit and sample 007’s drinks cabinet from the books and films. Here’s a sample of what you can expect to try on the night, courtesy of Tom himself…

Vodka Martini

We couldn’t start with anything other than this Bond classic. You’ve probably uttered the line at some point yourself when stood at the bar; “a Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred.” It’s the catchphrase that follows Bond throughout the spy series and is instantly recognisable. This is the drink most often consumed by Mr Bond, mixing vodka with dry vermouth (shaken, of course,) and garnishing with an olive or twist of lemon.

Vesper Martini

While the Vodka Martini is what Bond is known for, it was primarily used as the glamorous drink for the big screen. In the books, it is actually a Vesper Martini Bond sips between his action-packed adventures. As the first drink mentioned in the novels, it is clearly an important drink for the spy, who also claims to be the inventor of this particular cocktail. Bond’s special recipe involves three measures of Gordon’s gin, one of vodka, a half measure of Kina Lillet, shaken, with a chunk of lemon-peel delicately placed into the glass!

Scotch and Soda

This may be an unknown one for those who have only watched the movies, as this Bond favourite was omitted from the big-screen adaptations. Yet Bond enjoyed a scotch and soda or two (or twenty-one times, actually, to be precise!) in the novels. On his American expeditions he sampled the occasional bourbon, or brandy and ginger ale, but mostly he stayed true to his British roots with the Scotch.