How To Make a Bourbon Vanilla Martini

Girls love them, but James Bond drinks them, so it's okay. When you're after a refreshing change from your Peroni or Spitfire, a cocktail is just the thing.

Marylebone’s Belgian brasserie, Café Luc, has teamed with superior quality tea makers Mariage Frères to launch a new range of cocktails, and their cocktail expert Ivan Squillaci has given us the lowdown on making one of your own.

So if you want to impress that special lady, or simply want an excuse to put on a tux and watch Goldfinger again, follow the instructions and enjoy.

Ingredients

• Mariage Frères Vanille Bourbon tea

• 25ml Dry Martini

• 50ml Vodka

• 5ml of sugar syrup

Method

Pre-Preparation: The Mariage Frère Bourbon Vanilla tea is infused within the vodka for 3 hours.

1. First, grab the martini and take off the cap.

2. Now, take the glass pitcher out of the freezer.

3. Put the ice in the container (a healthy handful of cubes) and then pour in 25ml Martini. You want to not only to coat the bottom of the shaker/pitcher, but the ice as well.

4. At this point, it depends what type of container is in use. If it’s a glass pitcher, you stir. If it’s a metal one, you swirl, in a semi-vigorous manner, but not violently. You want the ice friction to cause a chain reaction of cold, but you don’t want to bruise the gin. Gin needs to be gently introduced to the vermouth, and there MUST be some ice melt dilution. So, swirl, or stir, depending on the situation.

5. Ok, back to the drink. Swirl it some more.

6. Now put out something to nibble on. Café Luc’s preference is for good old fashioned cocktail peanuts, Spanish-variety if you can find them.

7. Back to the drink again. Pour in 50ml of your best vodka and swirl some more, ensuring both alcohols are mixed fully.

8. Next add the sugar syrup slowly, all the while swirling gently to combine all ingredients. Make sure the sugar doesn’t have a chance to sit at the bottom of the glass – this looks budget and unprofessional, and won’t impress anyone.

9. Swirl some more.

10. Stir well with cocktail spoon.

11. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

12. Garnish with a sweetened sun-blushed lime slice. 

13. Finally, to get the right atmosphere for this cocktail put on some Sinatra and most importantly make two, as you have to drink it with a beautiful woman.

Bourbon vanilla tea-infused vodka, with dry/sweet Martini £8.50 at Café Luc

Image: Café Luc