The Iconic '60s Film That Helped The Vodka Martini Rise To Fame

There are few more meteoric ways to make something feel coveted and special than having a celebrity associated with it. And, in the days before social media, that effect was multiplied and cemented in the fabric of pop culture by appearing on screen. This phenomenon could not be more true than that of the vodka martini, which for well over sixty years has been associated with James Bond famously ordering it shaken to his exact specifications.

For Bond aficionados, the drink in question was first seen on-screen in "Dr. No" in 1962. It went on to be ordered once more by Sean Connery in the 1964 film "Goldfinger," where he asked for it in a plane no less. Ever since, this association and ultimate catchphrase (shaken, not stirred) carried on throughout the Bond franchise, even as the lead actor changed. Being associated as the drink of choice in elevated environments like casinos, via a room service order, or on a plane, and for such a slick, elegant, and discerning character as Sean Connery's Bond, certainly helped cement vodka martini as "the" sophisticated cocktail order.

A vodka martini, with its requisite glassware and quiet signal of luxury to those in the know, was certainly propelled to national note by James Bond's association. This, of course, was long before the advent of the craft cocktail movement that didn't arrive on the scene until roughly the 1980s. The extent to which Bond made particular note of his drink preference and specified exactly how it was mixed, which was not common at the time, only added to its allure. Ultimately, having a drink order on the tip of your tongue might just have come down to what you saw at the movie theater. Hence an across-the-board rise in popularity of vodka martinis, if their high on-screen appearance tally had anything to do with it.

Today, martinis are practically an art form all their own. To make the best martini, experts agree to chill both your glass and the liquor, and use a 5:1 ratio of vodka to vermouth for a dry version, or 2:1 for a wet one. What may seem blasphemous though is that many bartenders prefer a stirred cocktail to Bond's signature shaken instructions. Although Bond liked many things fast, the consensus is that the rapid shaking movement does not provide the optimum flavor and mouthfeel of a stirred vodka martini. Whether you like your drink with more or less vermouth, a citrus peel twist or olives, the right martini customization is up to you. But, there is no disputing that Ian Fleming's James Bond is inextricably linked with this classic cocktail and perhaps always will be.