James Bond's Most Iconic Drinks

There are many iconic symbols and memorable scenes from the series, including Bond's favorite beverage and his skill at the casino card table, you can see recent content for more casino action. Part of the agent's charm is his sophistication, and his signature drink orders are an important part of the character's persona.

We explore some of James Bond's drink orders across the series and reminisce about the iconic scenes in which they feature:

Vodka Martini

The drink most often associated with the British secret agent is the Vodka Martini - "shaken, not stirred" of course. This cocktail is synonymous with his image and the specificity of his order is a reflection of Bond's strong attention to detail.

Ordering a Vodka Martini, a sophisticated drink choice, gives him the opportunity to assert himself as a gentleman of distinction and great taste. This drink order also has some more practical elements to it.

For instance, it is a clear liquid and looks unremarkable in a glass and it does not have a strong odor. This all helps the agent to keep a low profile when on missions, so that he can enjoy a drink privately or carry out covert surveillance.

But why does he insist on his Vodka Martini being shaken and not stirred? Well, the method of shaking the drink helps to aerate it which helps to make it colder and a little more dilute in comparison to a stirred drink.

Macallan

The Macallan is one of the world's leading single malt whiskeys and draws influences from Scotland, as well as Spain and the United States. Agent James Bond has been known to enjoy a Macallan one a number of occasions.

One of the most memorable scenes featuring the drink is in Skyfall when Bond, played by Daniel Craig, shares a bottle of vintage Macallan with Javier Bardem's Silva in the middle of a dramatic showdown.

This bottle of Macallan is significant in a couple of ways. As Silva mentions, the 1962 Fine and Rare Vintage drink is 50 years old. This is a reference to the fact that the Bond franchise was celebrating its 50th anniversary with it being half a century since the release of Dr No.

Interestingly, Silva notes that this Macallan is a particular favorite of Bond's, as he has tried different expressions of the drink prior to this encounter. The agent again enjoys a Macallan whiskey in the film Spectre, in this instance it is an 18-year-old Macallan from his own collection.

The Vesper Martini

Another drink of great significance to Bond and the franchise is the Vesper Martini. This cocktail is aptly named after Bond's love interest, the fictional double agent Vesper Lynd.

In Casino Royale, another film starring Daniel Craig as 007, Bond requests the drink from a bartender and provides instructions, the recipe includes three measures of Gordon's Gin, one measure of vodka and a half measure of Kina Lillet. As usual, his beverage must be shaken until ice cold and hid time served with a thin slice of lemon peel for garnish.

James Bond is known to have a preference for strong drinks and this certainly martini is no exception. The agent claims that he never has more than one drink before dinner when he needs to concentrate on the task at hand, a large or strong drink like this is a bit of a loophole.

Champagne

There are a couple of champagnes that Bond has a liking for. He shared a preference for a vintage 1945 Taittinger, in addition to the Bollinger, the official supplier of the British court. Bollinger has also been a sponsor of the Bond franchise since 1973 and first appeared in the film Live and Let Die when Roger Moore played Bond.

The agent tends to select Champagne as his drink of choice during moments of victory or celebration. This drink represents elegance and refinement in the 007 universe.

Heineken

Beer brand Heineken has been a partner for the Bond franchise since the film Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997. Although beer is quite a change from his usual choice, in the film Skyfall we see the agent in a bar scene taking sips of the drink during a drinking game. He once again enjoys a Heineken in Spectre at the hotel.

From elegant cocktails such as the Vesper Martini to the more casual beer, there are many iconic drinks in the James Bond franchise. They each play an important role in telling the story and helping to represent different aspects of the agent's personality.