Stir, don’t shake! (Photo: Cottonbro Studio/Pexels)Īccording to experienced bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts alike, shaking a martini causes the ingredients to become over-diluted and cloudy due to the aeration and agitation caused by the shaking process. Now the whole “shaken, not stirred” thing is where Bond really has some explaining to do. If vodka is your go-to martini ingredient, all we can really do is tell you it’s time to expand your palate. While certainly a uniquely personal choice, 007 gets it all wrong right away by preferring flavorless vodka over complex, botanical-rich gin. In both the “James Bond” novels and film adaptations, the titular character repeatedly orders a vodka martini “shaken, not stirred.” Most notably, Sean Connery’s Bond from “Goldfinger” orders his drink this way while on board Goldfinger’s private jet. Today, the martini is a well-known cocktail with innumerable varieties, yet much of its appeal still stems from its basic and elegant beginnings.

And now, the original addition of bitters is almost completely forgotten. Over time, the ratios of gin to vermouth changed and garnishes like olives or lemon twists started appearing on the top of cocktails.

The original martini recipe, which was first published in an 1888 bartending manual named “Johnson’s Bartenders’ Manual,” called for equal parts gin and vermouth along with sweetener, bitters and Curaçao. Read more: What Is Old Tom Gin? The Spirited Bridge Between the Original Gin and London Dry Other martini origin stories suggest it is an evolution of the Martinez, a cocktail traditionally made with Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur and bitters. The recipe is believed to have originated in the United States around the late 19th century and, although its exact precursor is unclear, it is generally accepted that the Martini & Rossi vermouth company inspired its name. To better understand why Bond needs a little help ordering his drinks, let’s take a look at the martini’s origins.Ī martini is a classic cocktail made from gin, vermouth and, depending on who you ask, orange bitters.

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