James Bond has always been much more than a vodka martini man.
Ask anyone what James Bond drinks and they’ll probably tell you a vodka martini, shaken not stirred. And while that’s true, vodka martinis are just a small part of the picture.
Both in the books and the films, Bond drinks a wide variety of alcoholic drinks. He has whisky far more often than vodka martinis in Fleming’s novels, and his martinis are sometimes made with gin. The Vesper, now one of the most famous Bond drinks of all, makes one appearance in Casino Royale. That’s it.
And rather than sticking to a few big name brands, Bond often gravitates to whatever is available wherever he is in the world. He is not simply a martini machine. He knows what he wants, but he is not trapped by a single order, and curious enough to try local specialities.
The martini myth
It’s little wonder that vodka martinis have become synonymous with James Bond. Both the request for a vodka martini, and the instruction “shaken, not stirred”, are memorable on their own. Combined they are unforgettable.
It’s not until Fleming’s sixth novel, Dr No, that he asks for his vodka martini to be “shaken and not stirred”. That’s the first occurrence of it in Fleming’s work. The films then simplified the phrase and turned it into something else: an icon that conjures up Bond instantly.
But the image of James Bond always ordering martinis is simply wrong.
James Bond drinks in the books
The books reveal a much broader drinking world than the films suggest. Much of the detail in Fleming’s books came from his work as a journalist. He had a keen eye for detail and included that detail to give his writing an air of authenticity, including the drinks.
Fleming’s Bond drinks dry martinis made with both vodka and gin. But he also drinks whisky, often bourbon, and he drinks champagne frequently, wherever he is in the world.
One of the most notable things is that Bond tends to drink whatever is available locally. The books were written in a time well before globalisation and so, to a certain extent, that was forced upon him. But that is also one of the most interesting things about travel for anyone who is curious: local specialities that haven’t yet escaped.
In Japan he drinks flasks upon flask of sake. In Turkey he drinks raki. In the Balkans there is slivovitz. In Jamaica, Red Stripe. In the US he often favours bourbon, but Felix Leiter also introduces him to martinis made with a domestically produced vermouth, Cresta Blanca.
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James Bond drinks in the films
The films simplified Bond’s drinking habits, but never to the point that he only drinks vodka martinis or champagne.
The vodka martini became great screen shorthand. In Dr No we first have it when Bond is in his hotel room and a waiter brings him “one medium-dry vodka martini, mixed like you said, sir, not stirred”. But later, as a guest of Dr No, Bond asks for a “medium-dry martini, lemon peel. Shaken, not stirred”. That’s the first time he says it on screen.
From there the phrase became embedded in pop culture consciousness. It is easy to remember, hints at sophistication and immediately brings the image of James Bond to mind.
But even in the films he doesn’t always specify vodka. In Goldfinger Bond asks for “a martini, shaken, not stirred”. No mention of vodka there. In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service it is also a martini, shaken not stirred, without specifying vodka.
Champagne is the other great Bond drink on screen, and for many viewers, especially those brought up on Roger Moore, it is almost as closely associated with him as the martini. Later films also brought more visible commercial partnerships.
Daniel Craig’s Bond has drunk whisky, rum and, most controversially for some fans, beer. The Macallan is the Scotch whisky brand most associated with his portrayal of Bond. Mount Gay and Blackwell rums have become the first Bond rum brands, while Heineken was that beer.
Essential James Bond cocktails
There are really only two essential Bond cocktails: the Vesper and the dry martini.
The Vesper appears in Casino Royale. Bond orders it as “three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet”, shaken until ice-cold and served with lemon peel. He names it after Vesper Lynd – and never orders it again in the books.
The Dry Martini is the Bond cocktail everyone knows, although it is not always made with vodka. In the books and earlier films he also drinks traditional dry martinis, made with gin. The vodka martini became more famous because it is distinctive and therefore more memorable.
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Other notable Bond cocktails
The Vesper and the Martini are the essential Bond cocktails. But Bond’s drinking world does not stop there.
- Americano — the first cocktail he orders in the books appears in Casino Royale before the Vesper is invented.
- Gin and tonic — Bond is very particular about the mix in Dr No, which turns it from a standard drink into something much more specific to the tropics.
- Stinger — a mixture of cognac and white crème de menthe.
- Black Velvet — this mixture of champagne and stout is still a useful reminder that his drinking habits are more varied than the martini myth suggests.
- Old Fashioned — this classic cocktail appears in the books several times. In Live and Let Die, he specifies Old Grand-Dad bourbon.
- Mojito — appears in Die Another Day, when Bond is in Cuba. The film seems to have helped popularise the cocktail.
- Rum Collins — appears in Thunderball, when Bond is in the Bahamas. It is a good example of a drink that suits the location rather than the Bond cliché.
- Negroni — appears in “Risico”, one of the short stories collected in For Your Eyes Only. Bond orders it with Gordon’s gin.
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Champagne, whisky and other drinks
Champagne is one of the great James Bond drinks, and for many viewers it is almost as closely associated with him as the Martini.
In the books Bond drinks champagne frequently, and Fleming mentions several houses, including Taittinger, Dom Pérignon and Krug. Later, in the films, Bollinger became the champagne brand most closely associated with 007.
Whisky and bourbon are also much more important than the martini myth suggests. In the books Bond drinks whisky far more often than many people realise, and in the United States he often favours bourbon, often with branch water.
Then there are the local drinks. Sake in Japan. Raki in Turkey. Red Stripe in Jamaica. Miller High Life in the United States. Slivovitz in the Balkans. These are not necessarily attempts to fit in. Bond drinks what is available, what is offered, or what his companions order.
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Frequently asked questions
What is James Bond’s favourite drink?
The drink most people associate with James Bond is the vodka martini, shaken not stirred. But his drinking habits are much wider than that.
What does James Bond drink in the books?
In Ian Fleming’s books Bond drinks martinis made with vodka and gin, whisky, bourbon, champagne, wine, sake, raki, beer, coffee and local drinks depending on where he is.
What does James Bond drink in the films?
In the films Bond is most strongly associated with the vodka martini and champagne. But he also drinks whisky, rum, beer and other drinks depending on the film.
What is the Vesper Martini?
The Vesper is the martini Bond invents in Casino Royale. It is made with Gordon’s gin, vodka and Kina Lillet, shaken until ice-cold and served with lemon peel.
Why does Bond say shaken, not stirred?
The phrase shows Bond is confident, unafraid to ask for exactly what he wants. It also became a perfect piece of screen shorthand, instantly connecting the drink to James Bond.
Go deeper
This page is an overview of James Bond’s drinks across the books and films. For more detail, explore the dedicated guides:
- James Bond’s drinks in Ian Fleming’s novels
- Kina Lillet and the Vesper martini
- James Bond’s vodka martini
- Shaken, not stirred
- Whisky
For the fullest account, see The Complete Guide to the Drinks of James Bond.
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