Why James Bond orders his martini shaken instead of stirred

Every James Bond from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig ordered their martinis one way -- shaken, not stirred. Here's James Bond's martini order explained.

James Bond notoriously drank his martini only one way -- "shaken, not stirred" -- but why would James Bond shake his martini when the cocktail should be stirred? James Bond's martini orders are almost as much a part of 007's personal brand as he is about introducing his last name first, driving Aston Martins, and not playing by the rules. The "shake, not stir" line has been a moment fans have eagerly awaited throughout the franchise, and the suggestion that Bond drink his beverage of choice any other way would be considered a curse. But why change traditional recipes?

Any bartender or bartender worthy of a salt-rimmed glass will tell you that a martini should be stirred - and Bond actually ordered a Bradford Martini (although there was no option of bitterness). In this regard, his penchant for shaking seems particularly odd. In Daniel Craig's Casino Royale, there is some advice that Bond order a cocktail for the first time to "shake it up" instead of the usual Vesper because of the presence of vodka, which Bond prefers to mash broken Improve its texture. Shaking a straight gin martini won't do the same thing, but there's also Bond's sense of occasion and his very specific background to consider here. That's all the reason James Bond orders his martini with a shake, not a stir.

James Bond Takes His Martinis The Same Way As Ian Fleming

James Bond creator Ian Fleming's biographer, Andrew Lessiter, undertook to document that Fleming preferred his own martinis shaken rather than stirred, as he believed that stirring would affect the flavour. There's no basis for this other than Fleming's preference, but that's why Bond does it too: he's a product of his creator. Like the titles of every Bond film, Bond's choice of cocktails reflects who he is as a person and a spy, and his interest in preserving the flavor of alcohol. Shaking the cocktails might cloud the gin martinis, but it also cools them down faster, which is great for the man who is pressed for time (like on a mission) but still wants to have an impact on what he's ordering. is a critical step. After all, why would Bond make his martini shaken rather than stirred, there is an element of acting after all.

Bond's Martini Order Is An Important Character Detail

There is also a narrative reason for James Bond's ordering his martini with a shake rather than a stir. It's both a personal taste he shares with creator Ian Fleming and a tactic for socially manipulating the room around him. In Bond lore — and in movie details — 007 is partial to bourbon. That's why Skyfall's villain Silva (Javier Bardem) identifies a 50-year-old Macallan single malt whiskey as one of his enemies' favorites, in order to learn more about his The intimate details of life to disarm Bond.

In Casino Royale, he initially drinks Vesper to introduce several other characters to Felix Leiter. When Felix commented on the complexity of his order, Bond explained: "I only had one drink before dinner. But I did like the big glass, very strong, very cool and well made. I Hate anything in small portions, especially when they don't taste good. This drink is my own invention." His cocktail skills should say a lot about who Bond is. He is very special, which can be read as both a strength and a quality. The shake-not-stir drink order has been a hallmark of Bond's distinction ever since and his destructiveness. He does what he wants to keep the situation under control, even when they don't follow the rules.

Daniel Craig's Casino Royale remake confirms that Bond's martini order was a game for effect. When Bond first ordered a Vesper, he was so particular about how it was made that it had such an impact that other poker players ordered the same thing. However, when he ordered a martini after his loss to Le Chiffre, the bartender asked if he wanted it shaken or stirred, and Bond angrily retorted, "Do I look like I care?" The purpose of the order—he The flamboyance and allure of the character - no more. This fully confirms that James Bond's most famous drinking habit was at least partly an element of his espionage game and nothing more.

"Shaken Not Stirred" Ties Together Every James Bond

Each Bond actor and era has its own opinion, the only consistent characteristic of almost all Bonds is that James Bond shakes his vodka martini instead of stirring it. From the first Bond actor and film to In the end, his choice of booze is one of the few elements of Bond's character that never changes, perhaps the only other being his code name - 007. Decades of development help it remain semi-coherent amidst ever-changing trends, sensitivities, and cinematic techniques.

It would be difficult to prove that Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan were playing the same person if it weren't for details like James Bond shaking his martini instead of stirring it. Because of this tiny but important personality quirk, viewers never suspect they're watching a James Bond movie. Despite the contrasting tone between Roger Moore's bumbling take on Her Majesty's favorite spy and Daniel Craig's gritty franchise reboot, 007 always plays the same way Prepare the same drink. Whoever the next James Bond is, it's a safe bet he'll want his martini shaken, not stirred.