Shaken, not stirred: the Vesper Martini

This week the hugely anticipated James Bond film Skyfall is released meaning Bond fever is taking over at Team LBD. And whilst we're pretty adept at picking a slinky black dress for any occasion, we needed a little guidance when it came to our drink. So who better to ask for a drink to match our Bond girl look than Simon Difford of

To make the Vesper Martini you will need:

3 shots of dry gin 1 shot of vodka 1/2 a shot of Lillet Blanc (a brand of French aperitif wine which can be found in all good supermarkets)

Glass: Martini Garnish: Lemon zest twist or chilled olives on a stick

Method: Shake all of the ingredients with ice and fine strain into a chilled glass.

Did you know...?

This variation on the Dry Martini is said to have been created by Gilberto Preti at Duke's Hotel in London, for the author of the Jame Bond franchise, Ian Fleming. He liked it so much that he included it in his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, published in 1951.

In the book Bond explains to a Casino bartender exactly how to make and serve the drink: "In a deep champagne goblet. Three measures of Gordon's , one of vodka, half a measure of Lillet Blanc. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold.” Bond also explains his Martini to Felix Leiter of the CIA, saying, "This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name." And patent it he did as later in the book Bond meets the beautiful LBD-clad agent Vesper Lynd and asks if she'd mind if he called his favourite Martini after her. Like so many of Bond's love interests Vesper turns out to be a double agent and the book closes with his words, "The bitch is dead now” but lucky for us the sumptuous cocktail lives on. Enjoy! And if you're still stuck for what to wear whilst sipping your Vesper Martini click here to shop our Bond girl collection.