The Best-Selling Gin In The World Is Required For James Bond's Legendary Martini

James Bond, the dashing British secret agent of books and film, is likely as known for his specific taste in cocktails as for his license to kill and his designation as 007. The fictional hero created by British author Ian Fleming for his series of books famously drank shaken vodka martinis, which set off a long-standing debate on when a cocktail should be shaken or stirred. But Bond had other favorites, such as a bourbon and branch. Still, neither of these drinks were the invention of Fleming. That's not the case with the Vesper martini, which Fleming came up with for his first Bond book, "Casino Royale," from 1953.

This riff on a martini includes vodka, Lillet, and gin — specifically Gordon's Gin, the best-selling gin in the world, according to data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis (via The Spirits Business). In the book, Bond asks a bartender to make one of these unique cocktails, telling him: "Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet" (via Internet Archive). The drink was shaken until ice cold, then served in a large champagne goblet with a thin slice of lemon peel. While Fleming never explained his reason for choosing Gordon's, this London dry gin has a long history and a traditional flavor profile leaning into juniper, with notes of citrus and black pepper.

From its beginnings in 1769 in London, England, Gordon's Gin prided itself on the use of the best ingredients, in contrast to much of the gin being produced at that time. The company's founder, Alexander Gordon, was a Scottish-born distiller whose product was juniper forward and dry, which came to define the London dry gin style. Today, the company is owned by spirits giant Diageo, and is distilled in Scotland using the original copper pot still nicknamed "Old Tom" in its production. It's probably not a surprise that Ian Fleming would choose such a classic gin for his super spy James Bond to demand in his special martini.

Fleming and his best friend, Ivar Bryce (who Fleming based CIA agent Felix Leiter on), hit upon the cocktail's exact proportions and Fleming named it after James Bond's love interest in "Casino Royale," the double agent Vesper Lynd. Besides Gordon's Gin and vodka, there's another key ingredient, Kina Lillet. Although it hasn't been around since the 1980s, the brand's Lillet Blanc is considered a suitable replacement. So, if you want to drink like Bond, get a bottle of Gordon's Gin, which shouldn't be difficult since it's the world's best-selling gin.