Vodka Martini

James Bond must be the world's most famous Vodka Martini drinker and his penchant for the drink made it one of the most popular cocktails of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Purists will argue that the Gin Martini is the ultimate Martini but for many drinkers the less pronounced taste of vodka is preferable. The large number of flavored vodkas on the market means that a wide varity of flavored Vodka Martinis such as Raspberry Vodka Martinis, Chocolate Vodka Martinis and Kiwi Vodka Martinis are now offered at cocktail bars.

The simplest, and in our opinion the best, Vodka Martini is made with a good quality plain grain vodka and a small amount of Noilly Prat vermouth.

Bond liked his Vodka Martinis "shaken, not stirred", which makes sense as shaking a Martini will dilute the base spirit with water more as the ice cooling it melts faster when shaken.

It is rumoured that Bond only drank Vodka Martinis because Smirnoff vodka were a sponsor of the films, one of the earliest examples of product placement. This is backed up by the fact that in the Ian Fleming book Casino Royale (1953), where Bond first orders a Martini, he asks for it to be made with three measures of Gordons gin, one of vodka and half a measure of Kina Lillet vermouth, a cocktail he calls a Vesper, after Vesper Lynd, his colleague (although in fact a spy) and lover in the book.

A Vodka Martini is also known as a vodkatini.

Ingredients

Dry Vermouth (preferably Noilly Prat)
2 ounces vodka, chilled

Preparation: Pour a little bit of dry vermouth in a chilled martini glass and swirl to coat the inside of the glass. Dispose of excess vermouth. In a shaker full of ice, gently swirl or stir the vodka before straining into glass.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with a large green olive (make sure the olive has been drained of its brine fully before adding it to the Vodka Martini, otherwise you will have what is known as a Dirty Vodka Martini, which some people prefer).

Drink while still cold. Repeat as necessary.