Black Flannel Academy

Vesper

Boozy · Gin · Juniper · Spirit-forward · Vodka
Vesper cocktail
Photo: © Matthias Friedlein (www.augustine-bar.de) · CC BY-SA 4.0. “The Vesper.png”. Resized for display.

Gin and vodka share the base with a small Lillet contribution; the reference is shaken, unlike many Martini preparations.

IBA published specification · 1 reference serve.

Glassware

Cocktail glass

Technique

Shake

Ice

None in serving glass

Garnish

lemon zest

Preparation effort

Moderate

Ingredients & measurements

Ingredient mL US fl oz Source measure / qualification
Black Flannel London Calling Dry Gin 45 1.52 45 ml Black Flannel London Calling Dry Gin
Vodka 15 0.51 15 ml Vodka
Lillet Blanc 7.5 0.25 7.5 ml Lillet Blanc

Converted equivalents are rounded for display; use one measurement system consistently. Dashes, spoonfuls, fruit counts and unspecified top-ups remain source measures. A blank equivalent does not mean zero.

How to make it

Shake the measured ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass.

Glass: Cocktail glass. Ice: None in serving glass. Garnish: lemon zest.

Flavor & balance

  • Boozy (Spirit-Forward) (dominant): Little nonalcoholic lengthening leaves the spirit or fortified ingredients prominent after chilling and dilution.
  • Earthy / Herbal (supporting): Botanicals, fresh herbs or the base spirit give aromatic plant character; this is not a basic taste.

Assess sweetness, bitterness and tactile drying separately. These flavor expectations are based on recipe structure, not measured tasting scores. Actual products, ice and dilution will change the result.

Preparation & batching

Service complexity: moderate. Batchability: premix with dilution trial.

  • Measure and label the chosen product specification; chill appropriate glassware.

Finish chilling, dilution and garnish at service. Trial the actual serving method before approving a batch. Workload is an editorial assessment; no labor timing or storage validation is claimed.

Spirit & ingredient choices

Style Role Evidence level Qualification
S050 — Classic Gin base qualified A classic juniper-led gin is the reference choice; generic “gin” does not specify every ADI production subtype.
S102 — Vodka — Neutral Character co-base qualified Unflavored neutral vodka is the working interpretation; the source does not specify retained-base character or distillation details.
S073 — Aperitif Wine supporting documented Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.

Recipe notes & variations

For a Black Flannel variation, change one component at a time and record the selected product, proof, sweetener concentration and dilution. Compare it with this reference before naming or publishing the variation.

Compare: Dirty Martini, Dry Martini, Gibson, Vodka Martini.

Sources & further reading

  • International Bartenders Association — checked 2026-09-18. Recipe identity and published ingredient specification; editorial sensory and workload assessments are not source tasting results.

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