contemporary · stirred
Vesper recipe
Gin and vodka with Lillet Blanc. Bond's own Martini.
A Vesper is 60 ml (56.4 g) Gin, 15 ml (14.1 g) Vodka and 7.5 ml (7.9 g) Lillet Blanc, stirred and served in a martini glass. It pours to about 82.5 ml before ice, at roughly 37.9% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glassmartini glass
- Methodstirred
- Pour volume82.5 ml
- Strength (est.)37.9% ABV
- Time3 min
Vesper ingredients — in millilitres and grams
Grams are what the PourPilot coaster actually targets. They are not the same as the millilitres: a spirit is lighter than water, a syrup is heavier, so 30 ml of one is never 30 g. The right-hand column is the density we use, in grams per millilitre.
| Ingredient | Volume | Weight | g/ml | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gin | 60 ml | 56.4 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Vodka | 15 ml | 14.1 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Lillet Blanc | 7.5 ml | 7.9 g | 1.05 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a Vesper
- Set your martini glass on the scale (or on the PourPilot coaster) and zero it. Every measurement below is given in millilitres and in grams, so you can use either.
- Pour Gin, Vodka and Lillet Blanc into a mixing glass, weighing each one as you go.
- Fill the mixing glass with hard, cold ice and stir for 20–30 seconds — until the outside frosts and the mix has dropped to roughly −2 °C.
- Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Vesper: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Vesper?
Roughly 37.9% ABV as poured, before the ice dilutes it — typically another 15–25% water by the time you finish stirring or shaking. Strong. This is a stirred, undiluted-style drink — one is a full measure.
What glass should a Vesper be served in?
A martini glass. Chill it first — a room-temperature stemmed glass will undo half the work you just did in the mixing tin.
Can I make a Vesper without a jigger?
Yes — that is what the gram column is for. Put the glass or tin on a kitchen scale, zero it, and pour to the weight. It is more accurate than a jigger because nothing is left clinging to the inside of the measure. The PourPilot coaster does the same thing without you having to watch a display: it lights up as you approach the target and tells you when to stop.
If you like the Vesper
Negroni
Equal parts gin, vermouth, Campari. Stir over ice.
Dry Martini
Gin-forward, cold, and elegant. The ratio is everything.
Bijou
Gin, sweet vermouth, and Green Chartreuse. Jewel-bright.
Hanky Panky
Gin and sweet vermouth with a bracing dash of Fernet-Branca.
Martinez
The Martini's sweeter ancestor: gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino.
Tuxedo
A dry Martini dressed up with maraschino, absinthe and orange bitters.