Duke's Bar - situated in London's Dukes Hotel - historically served as the local watering hole for Sir Ian Fleming during his time writing the James Bond novels. The bar is said to have been the birthplace of the Vesper, a cocktail infamously introduced by Bond in Casino Royale.

The Vesper is a variation of a Dry Martini, one that is simultaneously sweeter and more bitter. Gin shares some of its footprint with vodka, which lessens the juniper flavor while maintaining the booze content. The original Vesper was crafted with Kina Lillet, a fortified white wine bittered with quinine (the same bittering agent used in tonic water). This product is no longer produced, and is often substituted with Lillet Blanc, which offers a different kind of bitterness. The use of Cocchi Americano seeks to preserve the original bitterness profile, and is amplified with a few dashes of orange bitters.