A Ferocious Bond — The Double O Intense Martini
What makes a vodka martini more intense? Belvedere Intense vodka. Belvedere, which is now James Bond’s vodka, issued this limited release earlier this year. My wife and I had the pleasure of discovering it while going through duty free at Heathrow Airport in London.
How does Belvedere Intense differ from regular Belvedere (which is one of my favorite vodkas)? The proof is in the proof. Regular Belvedere is 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume), and Belvedere Intense comes in at a muscular 100 proof (50% alcohol by volume).
If you acquire Belvedere Intense and want to make your Double O Intense Martini in the style of Sir Roger Moore, click here for how to do it. If you like to make your Double O Intense Martini some other way, go for it.
So how did Ian Fleming, who wrote the novels, come up with the Double O label? Thanks to Stewart, a fantastic guide for the James Bond walking tour at Brit Movie Tours, I learned the answer — 007 was a German diplomatic code during World War I. British intelligence cracked the code and intercepted what is now known as the Zimmerman Telegram, which influenced the decision of the United States to enter the war.
Now you’ve had a cocktail knowledge shot with a history back. Cheers!