The Cocktails of 007

James Bond, everyone’s favourite international man of mystery, is as synonymous  for his love of a good cocktail as his Aston Martin, sharp tuxedos, womanising ways and license to kill. Indeed, the man who created the Bond character,author Ian Fleming, was well known for his love of gin, sometimes up to a bottle a day and of course a good gin cocktail. Although the cocktails of 007 are best exemplified by the “shaken, not stirred” Vodka Martini, several other cocktails, spirits and mixed drinks make an appearance during the adventures of the world famous spy. Furthermore, James Bond cocktails and mixed drinks have been able to push previously unpopular drinks back on to the cocktail menus of many bars and restaurants.

Although Bond does occasionally drink red wine, he has a Château Mouton Rothschild 1947 in Goldfinger, and champagne, the Vodka Martini is a constant throughout all the movies and books. An interesting fact is that, in the 50`s and 60`s, when the first Bond film, Dr.No, made its debut, Gin Martinis were by far the martini of choice, but the explosion in popularity of James Bond cocktails began to change drinking habits in the cocktail bars across the globe. Soon, vodka was to start pushing gin to the sideline. Furthermore, Bond`s unwavering conviction that he wanted his drink shaken, not stirred helped to form the brute determination and masculinity he would become famous for with audiences everywhere.

To celebrate the current release of the 23 rd James Bond movie Skyfall, we thought we would take a brief look back at the role of James Bond cocktails throughout the James Bond saga.

The James Bond adventures kicked off in 1962 with Sean Connery in Dr.No, in which the spy drinks a Vodka Martini shaken with a lemon peel. The following year we find From Russia with Love where again we find James Bond with his Martini. In 1964`s Goldfinger Bond is offered a Mint Julep on the front porch of his nemesis, telling the waiter who is about to get his drink “Sour mash, but not too sweet, please.”

Forward to 1967 and we find Sean Connery drinking a Stolichnaya Vodka Martini, among several other beverages including a shot of Siamese vodka, Sake and Japanese Whisky. In the voodoo escapades of Live and Let Die, Bonds American counterpart pours himself a Sazerac.

In the 1980`s Roger Moore keeps the Vodka Martini tradition very much alive by ordering the cocktail in Octopussy and Never Say Never Again and Timothy Dalton carries on the mantle in The Living Daylights. The cocktails of 007 continue at pace in Die Another Day, released in 2002, in which Pierce Brosnan consumes a variety of drinks throughout his missions, including Havana Rum, Vodka Martini, plus we come across the first mention of a Mojito in the Bond series.

In Casino Royale, released in 2006, Daniel Craig stays true to Fleming`s words when he orders a Vesper Martini with the line: “Three measures of Gordon’s; one of vodka; half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice, and add a thin slice of lemon peel.”