Out of perhaps 120 bottles in our collection, two are vodka. One was a gift. The other we bought accidentally, mistaking it for a bottle of Dry Fly gin.

Now I know their are legit vodka connaisseurs out there. Apologies in advance. But we generally think of vodka as liquor for people who don’t like the taste of booze, but who want to get drunk.  I’m in it for the opposite reasons.  (Yes, it’s a good trick to be a cocktail geek and avoid getting sloshed.)

Anyway, here’s a classic for which we popped the Dry Fly vodka.

The Vesper

3 oz dry gin
1 oz vodka
.5 oz Lillet blanc or Cocchi Americano

Stir with ice and strain.  Garnish with an overly dramatic lemon twist.  Call a taxi.

This one, of course, originates from Ian Flemming’s Casino Royale.  It was ‘invented’ by James Bond and named for Vesper Lynd, his equally fictitious love interest.  Yes, yes.  Shaken, not stirred.  Stir it, dammit!  I want this one clear and free of ice chips.  Sue me.  But it’s a matter of taste.

The original recipe called for something called Kina Lillet, which is no longer available.  Lillet reformulated their stuff in the 80s and took out its quinine-ish bitter component.  You can make it with today’s Lillet blanc just fine, but for something closer to the original, try the Cocchi Americano.  It’s as close to Kina Lillet as we get nowadays.  I like its bitter edge.  I’m also fond of the overly large and obnoxious twist.  The lemon peel really adds to the drink.

Obligatory warning:  this is Don Draper-level octane.  I have to be in a serious dry, hard liquor mood, and even then, I can manage maybe half of one.  That bottle of Dry Fly vodka is going to be lasting us a looooong time.