Martini – why shaken not stirred, Mr. Bond?
April 20, 2024 0 By 007 TravelersArticle by 007 Travelers
James Bond has made it popular to drink a martini shaken but not stirred. Why so? And what’s the difference between a shaken and a stirred martini?
Bond (Sean Connery) orders martini shaken, not stirred in first Bond movie on the big screen: “Dr. No” (1962)

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq, LLC
and has done this ever since, except in “You Only Live Twice” (1967), when Bond’s allie Dikko Henderson (Charles Gray) offers him a drink stirred, not shaken and Bond (Sean Connery) surprisingly answers “Perfect.”

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq, LLC

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq, LLC
In Bond literature he orders martini in first 007 novel “Casino Royale” (1953) by Ian Fleming:
“A dry martini,” he said. “One. In a deep champagne goblet.”
“Oui, monsieur.”
“Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”
“Certainly monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
“Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter.
In the world of books Anthony Horowitz gave us an answer in 2018 novel “Forever and a Day” how Bond learned to order a shaken martini.
“A dry martini then.” She nodded and Bond turned to the barman. “I’d like two martinis, he said. “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. It needs to be served ice cold with a slice of lemon peel. All right?
“Of course, monsieur.” The barman smiled and nodded.
“Wait a minute.” Sixtine had stopped him before he’d turned away. “I’d like mine shaken, not stirred,” she said.
As he hurried away, Bond turned to her quizzically. “Does it really make a difference?”, he asked.
“Oh, yes.” She was quite serious. “My late husband used to say that if you shake a cocktail, you bruise the alcohol. Also, you melt more of the ice. Stirred not shaken was one of his mantras. He was very specific about things like that.” She drew out a cigarette and allowed Bond to light it. “Ever since he died, I’ve made it a point of principle to do everything the opposite of what he told me.” She glanced at the cigarette in her hand. “He didn’t like me smoking, either.”—
“I don’t find you at all boring,” Bond said. “On the contrary, I was simply thinking that the story wouldn’t be of any interest to you. But if you want to hear it, let me order a couple of more cocktails… shaken, not stirred. It may take a while.”
What do experts day then?
Shaking rather than stirring a Martini has two principal effects. One: the rapid movement of ice in shaker melts more of the ice than gentle stirring, thereby diluting the drink. Two: the drink is likely to be cloudy rather than clear. For Martini drinkers, both effects are undesirable.
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About The Author
Pirita and Mika travel around the world searching for James Bond filming locations. Since 2010.