Three measures of gin, one measure of vodka and half a measure of aromatized Lillet Blanc wine (originally known as Kina Lillet), with a lemon twist or olives. Shaken, not stirred, of course, until it becomes ice-cold. This is the original recipe for the Vesper Martini, a favorite James Bond's cocktail that he ordered countless times in his films.
RIEDEL VINUM, SUN, MOON & STARS
Originally, the martini is a cocktail made from gin and vermouth which originated in the late 19th century in America. It became very popular in illegal clubs where alcohol was secretly served during Prohibition, because it could be made fast and gin was also available. According to legend, the famous Y-shaped martini glass was invented at the same period because it was allegedly easy to spill drinks over its wide rim in the case of a police raid. However, history denies this legend and says that the iconic martini glass initially debuted in 1925 at the Paris Exhibition as a modernist version of a champagne coupe.
CHRISTOFLE GRAPHIC, SUN, MOON & STARS
The Y glass has become associated with martinis over time, not so much for its geometric aesthetics as for its functionality: the long leg of the glass keeps the drink from heating up at the touch of a hand, while the wide rim lets the gin release its aroma and the conical structure of the cup keeps the olives upright. Since the 1940s, both the glass and the cocktail have made their way into men's clubs as a status ritual for powerful men who enjoy good taste and luxury with style. Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway, Clark Gable, Ian Fleming, John Rockefeller, and Jimmy Carter are just a few of the famous people who helped the martini and martini glass become a prestige symbol of success and refined taste.
Text: ANA KRALJ
Photo: SUN, MOON & STARS
