Vesper Cocktail

Vesper Cocktail Story

This modern classic debuted alongside its iconic imbiber in Casino Royale, the first James Bond novel, published in 1953. Royal British Naval Intelligence officer and writer extraordinaire Ian Fleming frequented Dukes Hotel in London, where head bartender Gilberto Preti first served the stiff drink. As Bond describes it: “three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?" Fleming, like Bond, started out as a gin drinker. Various ailments over time, however, prompted a switch to the “healthier” alternative, bourbon. Like his inventor, Bond too eventually abandoned gin, opting instead for vodka. While the Vesper Martini is still the main draw, Preti’s successor, Alessandro Palazzi, has built a Bond-themed bar program at the Dukes Hotel which includes a phenomenal table-side martini known as the Dukes Martini. Though Kina Lillet is no longer available since it was discontinued in 1985 due to its high quinine content, Lillet Blanc has become the industry-standard substitute.