No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Reversed Vesper & Tonic 'Martini'
Measurements in:
Serves:
| 1 fl oz | Hayman's London Dry Gin |
| 1 fl oz | Ketel One Vodka |
| 1⁄2 fl oz | Blanc quinquina/kina (e.g. Mattei Cap Corse, Bonal, Kina L'Aéro) |
| 1⁄2 fl oz | Aromatized wine (e.g. Lillet Blanc) |
| 1⁄6 fl oz | Becherovka liqueur |
| 1⁄12 fl oz | Monin Grenadine Syrup |
| 1⁄12 fl oz | Sugar syrup 'rich' (2 sugar to 1 water) 65.0°Brix |
| 1⁄2 fl oz | Thomas Henry Tonic Water |
How to make
Glassware
Serve in a Martini glass
Prepare
- Select and pre-chill a MARTINI GLASS.
- Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.
Method
- SHAKE first 7 ingredients with ice.
- FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
- TOP with tonic water.
Garnish
- EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.
Flavour Profile
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Health & Nutrition
Nutrition:
One serving of Reversed Vesper & Tonic 'Martini' contains 212 calories
Alcohol content:
- 1.8 standard drinks
- 20.15% alc./vol. (40.3° proof)
- 24.9 grams of pure alcohol
History
Created in 2008 by yours truly at the Cabinet Room, London, England.
James Bond named his favourite style of Martini (Vesper) after the beautiful Russian agent Vesper Lynd. This version is 'Reversed' due to the dramatically increased ratio of aromatised wines. Fittingly, my cocktail mixes East and West European ingredients with the introduction of Becherovka. And where there is Becherovka, there should be tonic water (see Be-ton).
I originally made this with 5ml of homemade pomegranate syrup to add much-needed sweetness (to counter kina bitterness) as a fitting blood-like syrup. Swapping to commercial grenadine added too much colour and flavour; hence, now equal parts sugar and grenadine syrup.
Review
Bittersweet and Martini in style but with the hard edges smoothed and a hint of eastern spice added. Perhaps more a digestivo than an aperitivo.
Cocktail of the day:
16th January 2026 is International Hot and Spicy Food Day
Variations/similar cocktails
Vesper Martini
May Vesper
Reverse Vesper Martini
Reversed Vesper & Tonic
Smoking Gun Vesper
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Makes a minimum of 25 cocktails.
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