Raffles 1887

Legendary Libations

The most famous martini in the world

LEGEND has it that the Vesper Martini was invented by the author Ian Fleming, who named it after his fictional double agent, Vesper Lynd. In turn, Vesper Lynd was inspired by Churchill’s favourite spy, Krystyna Skarbek, code name Christine Granville, whom Fleming met at the War Office during the Second World War. Today there’s a secret bar in the basement of the Old War Office, now Raffles London at The OWO, where you can order the best Vesper Martini in town.

As with all the best spy cover stories, some of this is true.

Though Ian Fleming is often said to have invented the Vesper Martini, this could well be a red herring. Some believe it was actually the creation of a bartender at Fleming’s favourite London hotel; others insist it was first made by his friend, Ivar Bryce, in Jamaica where both men had a home. What is known for sure is that the original version contained three measures of gin, one of vodka and half a measure of the now defunct Kina Lillet, a mixture of white wine and fruit liqueurs flavoured with quinine. The result was strong and rather bitter, so shaking it with ice rather than stirring it would have watered it down a little. 

It’s not certain whether it was really Fleming’s idea to name the drink after Vesper Lynd, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

So was Christine Granville Ian Fleming’s real-life Vesper Lynd? Working for the Admiralty during the war, Ian Fleming was a regular visitor to the War Office, and even if he didn’t actually meet Granville there, he would have heard stories about the beautiful British agent and her daring escapes. However, unlike Vesper Lynd, Granville – who was actually a Polish countess – was never a double agent. It’s true she was so good at outwitting the enemy that at one point she was suspected of being a collaborator and investigated. But she was completely exonerated. And yes, Churchill really did call her his favourite spy.

And the bar? That part is also true. Secreted in the basement of the Old War Office, The Spy Bar is Raffles London’s tribute to all of the brave men and women who have risked their lives in the field for king and country. Appropriately, this shadowy corner of the building was where the identity papers and mission reports of the MI5 and MI6 agents were once stored. It’s also where potential spies for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) were interviewed and briefed.

Operating under the cover of the glamorous hotel above it, The Spy Bar is careful not to draw attention to itself. Photography, including selfies, is not permitted. But we can divulge that the cocktail menu features such libations as La Dame Blanche, named after a First World War intelligence network; Kiss of Death, a nod to the lethal lipstick-shaped pistol used by the KGB during the Cold War; and of course, the bar’s Signature Vesper Martini. And to help patrons crack the enigma of the perfect libation, the bar also offers a Tasting Experience of three cocktails guided by an expert mixologist. 

Meanwhile, with a bit of cunning and a certain amount of derring-do, we have managed to decode the bar’s secret recipe for the best Vesper Martini in London. Naturally, it’s for your eyes only.

HOW TO MAKE A VESPER MARTINI

30ml No 3 Gin

20ml London Honey Distillate

17ml Raffles Vermouth which incorporates a number of British products, such as fennel pollen and elderflower

Ice

Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until cold. The Spy Bar also adds a little quassia bark to replicate the bitterness of the original Kina Lillet.