There's a reason we all love James Bond. It's not because he can get any woman he wants (except, apparently, Miss Moneypenny). It's not because he's deadly accurate with a gun smaller than the average adult hand. It's not even because he has an exciting, important job. We love Bond because the man has class in his blood. He has impeccable taste and manages to be nonchalant about it rather than pretentious. 007 sees the finer things of life as matters of aptitude and engagement, not as mere indulgences for the moneyed people of the world. Though his love of the vodka martini was powerful enough to make Smirnoff a household name, the first drink Bond put his heart into was far more complicated and, for anyone who has ever tasted one, far more satisfying. That drink is the Vesper, a cocktail that deserves more attention for its divine flavor, crisp character and astute use of a once-neglected, now resurgent ingredient.
The Vesper has the soul of a martini, insofar as it gets the majority of its punch from a body of clear liquor. The unique thing about it is that it doesn't favor gin or vodka, but asks them to play together in an elegant, intuitive way. The proportions, according to Bond and any modern bartender worth his salt, involves three parts strong gin to one part strong vodka.
Let's take a moment to explicate the meaning of “strong” versus modern liquor. Classically (re: prior to the 1990's when many popular brands of liquor went through a process of reformulation to appeal to a larger customer base), hard liquor occupied a range of 94-105 proof, giving them a slightly sharper sting than we're used to in the 84 proof days of the 21st century. That said, it's no problem to get high proof liquor these days. Though Bond in the movies preferred Smirnoff, in 2011 Stolichnaya makes a better 100 proof vodka. As for gin, be careful of today's standards. Bombay Sapphire, delicious as it is, has been knocked down to a paltry 80 proof. Best to stick with a sharper London Dry like Booth's, though look into your local distillers. There's been a clear spirits boom as of late.
So, why does the Vesper need higher proof liquor? Well, because the other key ingredient, Lillet, softens the drink considerably. The gin brings a lot of flavor to the Vesper while the vodka is meant to increase the bite as it simultaneously mellowing the gin and Lillet, which are both potent on the tongue. The Lillet itself should be used in much the same way as vermouth is used in a modern martini, only with more enthusiasm (meaning in larger proportions, about a quarter ounce at least). That said, the original recipe calls for Kina Lillet, another spirit that has been tampered with since Casino Royale first hit bookshelves. Today, it's best to stick with the more citrus-like and easier to find Lillet Blanc and augment it with a few drops of Angostura bitters to capture that old-fashioned aromatic flavor.
Lastly, the large lemon peel garnish is essential to the Vesper. It's not there just to look pretty. The flavor people associate with lemon is as much in the zest and rind as in the pulp and juice. That peel will make the Vesper considerably more refreshing and it will anchor those sharp top notes with a full-mouth brightness much in the same way as a summer martini with a twist will.
The Vesper is a glorious cocktail that eschews the overly sweet tendencies of the average 21st century mix bar. It doesn't kick quite like a martini but it doesn't go down like liquid candy, either. If ever there was a drink primed to be a go-to favorite, the Vesper is it.