James Bond Theory: Why 007 Orders His Martinis 'Shaken, Not Stirred'

Few drink orders are more famous than James Bond's martini. The MI6 agent always orders them "shaken, not stirred," which has stirred up considerable controversy amongst liquor connoisseurs who know that martinis are typically stirred, preserving the drink's integrity. But there's a compelling theory about why 007 orders his drinks this way, courtesy of one Redditor.

As u/TheVileFlibertigibet wrote in a thread, Bond does order a martini in a way many people would consider "wrong," but they think there's a method to the madness. "I [theorize] that Bond is ordering a weak drink deliberately so as to make it seem like he is drinking more than he actually is," they explained. "This is because Bond is almost always on duty in both the books and films and needs to keep his wits about him, either to defend himself or not blab all his secrets to the bartender, but sometimes he will need to drink to maintain his cover. As a compromise, he orders a weaker drink to give the appearance that he is more inebriated than he actually is, thus maintaining his cover and gaining an element of surprise over his targets."

This is, frankly, a pretty solid theory. Most martini lovers don't order them shaken because it seriously dilutes the drink's flavor ... which, to be fair, is essentially a glass of cold gin or vodka that may or may not contain any vermouth at all. So, what do other Redditors think of this theory?

Let's not forget one important thing: the James Bond movies are based on books by Ian Fleming, so it's crucial to consider the source material when thinking about 007's seemingly strange martini order. Another Redditor shared solid evidence from the novels that could give audiences another insight into why Bond prefers his martinis shaken.

As u/SavemoreTrout points out, James Bond drinks a lot in the books, and ordering his martinis shaken could have something to do with the fact that he consumes a lot of cheap, low-quality liquor. "He says he developed his drinking habits to deal with cheap, potentially unsafe vodka available in the field that he eventually learned to love," they wrote. "The shaken vodka martini makes such vodka more palatable. He also sometimes puts pepper in vodka to — according to superstition — soak up the toxins in badly made liquor."

Although Bond frequently orders upscale cocktails like Vespers — a take on a martini that combines gin, vodka, and a white wine cordial called Lillet blanc — he also drinks far more alcohol than is advisable for any one man, so the idea that he can only handle bad vodka by chilling it to an extreme point holds water (or vodka, as the case may be).

So, what is the "right" way to order a martini? The funny thing is, there isn't one — so whether or not he's imbibing cheap liquor or top-shelf picks, James Bond is perfectly free to order his martini shaken, not stirred as often as he likes. According to an article about ordering martinis on Liquor.com, people can be as creative as they want.

Some traditionalists are against shaking martinis because of this unofficial bartending "rule": Only drinks that require emulsification (like those involving citrus or egg whites) should be shaken. Drinks like martinis, Negronis, or Manhattans should be stirred because they only contain liquor (stirring preserves the flavor). However, dirty martinis should be shaken due to the emulsification rule. The olive juice involved in the recipe needs a good shake to blend into the cocktail.

Some bartenders interviewed by Liquor.com said that if a patron chooses vodka over gin for their martini, they'll shake it. Rachel Casuga — a manager at Bernie's in Brooklyn — explained, "We shake our vodka because it doesn't really have too much of a flavor profile — sorry, I had to say it — and I think the colder the vodka, the better it tastes."

Others said it's entirely up to one's personal preference, like Samantha Casuga, the head bartender at Manhattan's trendy Temple Bar. "It really is a texture thing," she said. "I prefer my martinis stirred, but someone who wants a more diluted, lighter-in-texture martini should opt for shaken." So, there you have it; James Bond and his most ardent fans can keep ordering their martinis shaken if that's what they prefer.