The Vesper
Part Martini, part legend, the Vesper is a cocktail with serious presence.
Gin leads the way, vodka adds weight and a clean, silky finish, while blanc aperitif brings delicate citrus, floral notes and just enough softness to pull everything together. Our house Vesper bitters add the final aromatic edge.
Cold, strong and unapologetically elegant.
| GLASS | Coupe or Nick & Nora |
| GARNISH | Lemon Twist |
| PROCESS | Shaken |
Method
Chill your glass thoroughly before you begin.
Add the Social Gin, BC Vodka, blanc aperitif and bitters to a shaker filled generously with ice.
Shake firmly for 15–20 seconds, until very cold.
Double-strain into the chilled glass.
Cut a wide strip of lemon peel and express the oils generously across the surface of the cocktail. Rub the peel around the rim before dropping it into the glass.
The Story
The Vesper made its famous debut in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale in 1953, where James Bond orders an unusually strong Martini combining gin, vodka and Kina Lillet before eventually naming it after Vesper Lynd.
Our version keeps that unusual split-spirit foundation but lets Copperpenny No. 005 Social Gin take the lead, backed by the clean structure of No. 002 BC Vodka and a touch of aromatic bitterness.
Copperpenny Tip
Yes, shake this Martini.
Most spirit-forward Martinis are stirred, but the Vesper is the famous exception.
A vigorous shake gets this particularly strong cocktail extremely cold while introducing a little more dilution. Use plenty of hard, cold ice and shake with purpose.
Then serve it immediately—the Vesper is at its best when it is almost impossibly cold.
A Note on the Aperitif
The original Vesper called for Kina Lillet, a more bitter predecessor to the blanc aperitifs commonly available today.
For an easy home version, use a good-quality blanc aperitif wine. Lillet Blanc works beautifully and is widely available.
