The Vesper, a distinctive member of the martini family, is a gin and vodka cocktail that’s served shaken with ice, strained into a coupe glass and adorned with a lemon twist. Differing from other varieties of martini like the Dirty, 50/50, or Wet, the Vesper opts for an unusual kind of aromatized wine instead of traditional vermouth. This heavyweight drink has an 8:1 spirit to aperitif ratio, which results in a cocktail that holds greater volume than your typical martini, making it something of a "double."

The iconic character, James Bond, introduces the Vesper in Ian Fleming's debut 1953 novel, Casino Royale. In the book, Bond orders a martini made primarily of gin, a little vodka, and Kina Lillet, instructing the bartender to shake the mixture until ice-cold and garnish with lemon peel. Initially calling the cocktail the "special martini", Bond later renames it "Vesper" in tribute to the novel's captivating femme fatale, Vesper Lynd.

Kina Lillet, used in Bond's Vesper, is an earlier version of what we currently know as Lillet Blanc. It's a French aromatized wine that's blended with citrus and floral flavors. Kina Lillet, the original recipe for the aperitif, was created in the late 19th century and persisted until the 1980s. After consumer interest shifted towards sweeter, subtler flavors, the quinine content in the wine was significantly diminished in 1986.

Quinine, an ingredient extracted from the cinchona tree from western South America, is known for its intense bitter taste. It has been used medicinally by the native populations for centuries, predominantly for treating malaria after the 15th-century European colonization. Largely today, quinine is used more as a flavoring agent considering there have been advances in malaria treatment.

Kina Lillet's high quinine content added a mild bitterness to the Vesper, counteracting the powerful gin and vodka punch. Today's Lillet Blanc, featuring a sweeter and more citrus-enhanced taste, lacks the potency of the original Kina Lillet. This change in taste profiles leaves modern bartenders and Vesper enthusiasts employing Cocchi Americano, an Italian aromatized wine infused with quinine, to imitate the original bitter taste of Kina Lillet's.

The Vesper Martini is certainly not a cocktail for lightweights. It’s a powerful drink, made milder by extra water, due to being shaken and not stirred. The mixology brings together the herby character of gin, vodka's non-flavor and the aperitif's medicinal notes. If Bond had opted for a gin-only Vesper, the robust flavors of the spirit might've overwhelmed Kina Lillet.

In addition to furnishing a refreshing touch, a lemon twist garnish also adds a hint of bitterness to the cocktail. The specific recipe calls for 3 ounces of gin, 1 ounce of vodka, 1/2 ounce of Cocchi Americano, and a lemon peel twist for garnish. The ingredients are combined in a cocktail shaker, shaken with ice until well chilled for about 20-30 seconds, and strained into a chilled coupe or martini glass and garnished with a lemon twist.