“I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made.”—Casino Royale, Ian Fleming’s first novel (1953)
Since Ian Fleming’s death in 1964, two dozen James Bond films have been released. This includes the original 1967 version of Casino Royale, which turned Fleming’s debut into a bizarre outside-the-canon effort starring Woody Allen that credited five directors.
But there’s only one official 007 cocktail book: Shaken: Drinking with James Bond & Ian Fleming.
Shaken sets out to take “the world of Mr. Fleming and Bond” and “bring the classic cocktail history within it up to the modern day,” declared Mia Johansson. Johansson is a member of the team responsible for Swift, the London establishment that won Tales of the Cocktail’s Best New International Cocktail Bar for 2017. (The group also includes Edmund Weil, who is related to Fleming.)
With inspiration from 007, they created 50 cocktail recipes. They’re divided into five categories: Straight Up, On The Rocks, Tall, Fizzy and Exotic. It comes as no surprise that the Martini makes an appearance, but the book is also a reminder that Bond has always been willing to vary his imbibing and have, say, a Negroni or a Daiquiri. Indeed, the franchise itself has been a showcase for an impressive array of alcohol. Brands associated with the film series include Smirnoff, Finlandia, Dom Pérignon, Red Stripe and Heineken.
Featuring an introduction by Fleming’s nephew Fergus, Shaken: Drinking with James Bond & Ian Fleming is available in hardcover for $21.29.
And if you’re obsessed with the work of Ian Fleming but realize you’ve never actually heard the legendary author’s voice, here is an interview conducted soon after the first Bond film, 1962’s Dr. No, proved an international smash.
And this is the song Fleming told Desert Island Discs was his all-time favorite. (Sadly, it’s not a Bond theme.)
Join America's Fastest Growing Spirits Newsletter THE SPILL. Unlock all the reviews, recipes and revelry — and get 15% off award-winning La Tierra de Acre Mezcal.
