If you have hung around here for a while you have probably seen that cocktails made with only spirits, liqueurs, and syrups should be stirred, not shaken.
(Although of course we have Cocchi, too!). I think, go with what you have or want to use. Lillet Blanc can be easier to find for most people, but Cocchi apparently will make for a more authentic Vesper. It is rumored that Cocchi Americano can make for a better substitute to the Kina Lillet because Cocchi is bitter, like Kina. The gin as we named above would be great, or if you don’t have or can’t get those, Sipsmith VJOP, Tanqueray, or Junipero are also great choices. Again, as we stated above, the original recipe calls for a stout vodka, and there are many choices out there. If you choose to use low quality spirits, there is nothing to cover up those flavors, as there are no juices or sweeteners, except for the Lillet Blanc.Ĭlassic juniper gins are a great choice for the Vesper Martini. The most important consideration is the quality of the liquors that you chose. The recipe concluded, “Shoot somebody evil.” Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and twist a large swatch of thin-cut lemon peel over the top.
3 oz Tanqueray gin, 1 oz 100-proof Stolichnaya vodka, 1⁄ 2 oz Lillet Blanc, 1⁄ 8 teaspoon (or less) quinine powder or, in desperation, 2 dashes of bitters. Shake (if you must) with plenty of cracked ice. Esquire printed the following update of the recipe in 2006:
