Bonds vodka martini shaken not stirred

Shaken, Not Stirred Please – a quote that has acquired iconic status, thanks to James Bond. Luxury vodka brand Belvedere gives us more reason to raise a toast this season by associating with Sony Pictures who will soon release the 24th Bond movie called Spectre.

To mark this partnership, Belvedere has launched two special edition vodkas as a tribute to the 007 character. 

While most men love their scotch, Bond stays loyal to the classic martini signifying this drink as an elegant man’s poison. “As with most discerning characters, James Bond has a repertoire of drinks that he chooses from and the Vodka Martini is one that he tends to select for ‘special occasions’. The Vodka Martini is in itself a wonderfully versatile and flexible cocktail, and is of course fitting for any occasion,” says Claire Smith, Master Mixologist, Belvedere explaining Bond’s love for martinis

She furthers adds, “Bond is quoted as enjoying 19 Vodka Martinis throughout Ian Fleming’s novels and short stories, and one particular statement of the cocktail lover stands out – I would like a medium Vodka dry Martini with a slice of lemon peel. Shaken and not stirred please. I would prefer Russian or Polish vodka.”

While his menu looks elegantly flawless, making it to the first place is the Vesper that has been Bond’s companion throughout the series. “The Vesper is the one cocktail that’s mostly associated with Bond, and his precise recipe gives indication of his particular preferences and for a cocktail to be ‘very well made and very cold’. To reflect the Bond and Belvedere partnership, we have updated the recipe to be more Belvedere forward, and our version of this iconic cocktail is called the Belvedere ‘Reverse Vesper’,” shares Smith.

While we anticipate the launch of these special editions slated to hit bars next year, the movie will be unveiled in November 2015.

 

Here is a quick recipe of the new Belvedere Reverse Vesper:

 

Ingredients:  

60 ml Belvedere Vodka

20 ml Premium London Dry Gin

10 ml Dolin Dry vermouth

 

Method: 

1.       Begin by icing your martini glass, or removing from the freezer. All ingredients for the Vodka Martini are best served cold, so keep your Belvedere Vodka and chosen vermouth in the fridge.

2.       Decide on your method. A shaken Martini will be aerated with a light, fresh palate and subtle effervescence (depending on the strength of your shake). A stirred drink will be more viscous, with a fuller mouth feel. Both are accepted methods to create the cocktail.

3.       Pour 60 ml Belvedere Vodka into your Boston Shaker (if shaking) or stirring glass (if stirring). Add your vermouth, the more vermouth the ‘wetter’ the drink. We like 6:1 (60 ml Belvedere to 10 ml Dolin Dry vermouth). Fill vessel with ice and shake until the outside of the shaker frosts (roughly 10-15 seconds) or stir gently for up to 90 seconds.

4.       Remove ice from your martini glass, and gently pour your martini into the chilled glass. If shaken, you may wish to remove the ice shards by pouring through a fine tea strainer.

5.       Garnish according to taste. The classics are lemon twist or a green olive, but a pink grapefruit or cocktail onions are also delicious.

6.       Enjoy.

 

Tip: Shake until very cold and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.