I noticed in my younger years that despite vodka's fairly neutral quality, I find that it can cause the worst halitosis after a heavy session of imbibing. Brushing and mouthwash doesn't make it go away. I've not experienced this with other distilled spirits. It's epecially nasty kissing someone who was drinking lots of it the night before.
this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2025
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Showerthoughts
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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.
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James Bond was an alcoholic, with good reason. He didn't drink vodka martinis for the taste, he drank them to dull the pain and horrors of his job. As much as he drank, he probably didn't really taste the booze anymore.
The original James Bond from the novels was a dark and brooding high-functioning alcoholic, who operated at his best with a drink or two in him at all times. He was pretty useless without the drink. A vodka martini would quickly get him in the right headspace to accomplish his latest mission.
The movie Bond was reinvented to be this dashing, handsome womanizer who drank and smoked socially and was charming as hell. Basically, a 1950s ideal male fantasy. This Bond probably could've used a classier drink than straight vodka, but that's one aspect of the books they kept pretty loyal.
He was on alcohol and Benzedrine (amphetamines):
I haven't read the books. Is there any background for choosing vodka martinis in particular? As opposed to, say plain vodka. Was it just a more socially acceptable dose of alcohol?
The Vesper is James Bond's personal invention, from the very first novel, Casino Royale. It's basically his own custom twist on the vodka martini.
He explains he only has one drink before dinner, but he prefers it's a large one, ice cold, and made very well. He drinks plenty of other types of alcohol throughout the books, but he's pretty particular about this one evening aperitif.
The movies kind of latched onto it and just made him drink vodka martinis in general. Although the 2006 film Casino Royale had him order his custom invention from a bar, almost word-for-word from the original novel. It's named after Vesper Lynd, the first girl Bond truly fell for in the novels.
i think one of the reason they simplified it is that the vesper martini can't be made anymore
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2 oz vodka because much of the time, he was a spy with Russian adversaries and he wanted to blend in, also note that he doesn't specify which vodka because he actually doesn't care. 1 oz Gordon's because beneath all that he's a true red blooded Brit and he'll always proudly drink British gin. Lilet Blanc because it's not his money and he's surrounded by wealthy people so he might as well buy the most expensive vermouth in the world. Shaken not stirred because he wants the drink to be cold, causing him to drink more slowly, and because it will water it down, meaning he will appear to be drinking more than he actually is and people will underestimate him. I can't figure out any obvious subtext for the lemon twist, but it is a very classy way to have a martini. Call it a Vesper to memorialize his first love, and emphasize that he doesn't and can't have a life outside of being a spy, he's condemned to this world.
The Vesper is the best fusion of lore and a cocktail you could ever conceive and will never be topped.
(Though he’s probably responsible for an equal amount of wasted bourbon and whiskey)
Whisky is good, but definitely an acquired taste
Gimme a nice peaty Laphroaig. Something that tastes like a tire fire on a football pitch
Islay malts always taste like somebody put a cig out in them. Ew.
Balvenie 14 year for me, thank you very much!
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To me it tastes more like dry-rotting lawn clippings.
But in a good way.
If I’m ever in Scotland I might just take a bite out of the ground to see if I like it
Yeah. Acquired from the bartender.
Not all of it lol.
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Yeah they’re vodka martinis. They ARE terrible lol. Gin is much better, more interesting with the botanicals. I usually do Beefeater gin if they have it
I do like a gin martini, but as a tequila drinker, nothing beats a dirty Tequila Martini.
Martinis do not involve tequila. That would be a different drink. When you change the single largest ingredient by volume you have a new drink
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God that sounds disgusting. I think, for the first time in 4+ years of sobriety, I actually feel genuinely sad for not being able to try that one out. It sounds so awful it must be good.
Hey, stay strong brother. That one drink isn't worth giving up your progress. I don't know you, but I'm proud for you.
I like tequila with a pickleback, which is the way less classy version of this.
Bonds Wodka Martini does have 3/4 of gin and only 1/4 of wodka:
The International Bartenders Association (IBA) recipe calls for 45 ml gin, 15 ml vodka, and 7.5 ml Lillet Blanc in place of Kina Lillet
I like them. I make sure to request "extra dirty" so I get a good olive flavor
"Extra dirty please!"
bartender mixes the drink with his penis
o heyo yee now we talkin
Wet martinis have extra vermouth, so my favorite spin on the classic is a "wet and dirty" martini. Extra olives of course
Agree! I usually ask for them "filthy" bc olive with a hint of vermouth is exactly what I like about them. Those and bloody marys are the only savory cocktails I've enjoyed.
I read that while the martini was his signature drink, he actually is depicted drinking champagne more frequently in the films. So just drink champagne!
Avoid brut though if you want to enjoy it
The non-brut (I don't know the English term) is alcoholic soda, that's less enjoyable
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That's because they're watered down weak martinis. The whole reason you don't shake a martini and you should stir it is because when you shake it it chips the ice and makes it melt faster. By shaking it he's making it weaker.
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Vodka doesn't have much flavor, but the Vermouth adds a nice touch. Most Vermouth is crap, though and has a sharp edge. The Dolin Dry is more floral: https://www.bittersandbottles.com/products/dolin-vermouth-dry
As for shaking, it's a matter of taste. Vigorous shaking in a covered shaker with crushed ice breaks small shards into tiny crystals. These quickly melt, though, so it's really the very first taste where it's a bit tingly.
Toss in 3 large green olives with garlic or pimento and it's a pretty decent, hard to mess up drink that anyone can make at home.
And brut is a nice champagne.
brut is a designation of residual sugars in solution it is not a brand.
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As a vodka enjoyer, I do love me a good Vodka Martini. But that shaken thing Bond has going on is pure blasphemy.
It's worth remembering that the taste doesn't just come from the vodka so the vermouth is equally important.
Yeah I'm sure there is an audience out there. But you guys probably get your inspiration from somewhere other than films, and don't leave your glasses half full.
Keep at it 👍🏻
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Yeah, they are awful. My mate bought all the ingredients and a fancy martini glass, had half of one, and gave up.
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You're not wrong!
I'm a fan of the martini - when I'm in the mood to drink. But make it gin, a good one like Boodles or some of the new stuff with citrus notes.
Another good shower thought today!
Even a gin martini is a bit of a mid cocktail IMO
There are plenty of much more interesting spirit forward cocktails out there
When I was drinking, my favorite martini was Bacardi 151. They don't make it anymore, because the 151 is the proof. Meaning it's 75.5% alcohol by volume.
What people were doing was taking the 151, pouring it in a glass, setting it on fire, and then drinking it while it was still on fire.
Well, it's liquid. It spills easily, even little droplets. And it's on fire. So these drunk people in their early 20s were setting themselves on fire. The drink would spill onto their shirt, and now their shirt is on fire.
On top of that, the fact that it was so strong was something young people weren't expecting at the time.
So they'd drink it, with the same expectency of it being like jack danials, or skyy vodka. It's a little less than twice as strong as those. And it burns like fire going down. Even without literal fire. And then after a few drinks of that they don't have a nice buzz like they thought. They have a full on blackout drunk where they aren't in control of themselves AT ALL.
That was my cocktail of choice 20+ years ago. Just a glass, pour in the 151, and that's the drink. Your "chaser" is that you lick a pussy riiiiiight after. I've been told it's a weird sensation. Like a warming and tingle on the clit, as it's being licked.
It sounds like it's a good thing you quit
I mean, it's better than the normal kind made with gin. I'd rather taste vodka than Pine Sol, personally.
Vodka is an awful spirit. Tastes like paint stripper. Gin, at least, has a fragrant taste to it. (Whitley Neil Quince gin is an absolute delight, as is Sloe gin).
So, I would love to know your recipe. Because that's where I'd guess you fucked it up.
I would guess you used vodka and used either too much vermouth or too little. (I'd guess you used too little rather than too much...) But what do I know?
You used dry vermouth, not sweet?
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