Cocktails

Vesper

Vesper is a crisp, spirit-forward cocktail with a clean botanical profile and a composed, elegant style. Served chilled, it works best when the drink should feel focused, strong and polished.

Reviewed by the WhatDrink Editorial TeamHow we calculate nutritionSuggest a correction

Cocktailalcoholic41.1% ABV3 ingredients

At a Glance

182 kcalCalories

41.1%ABV

0.5gSugar

0.6gCarbs

1.91Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Easyshaken drink

Why: 3 ingredients, shaken drink, requires shaker

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients

6 clGinBase Spirit
1.5 clVodkaBase Spirit
0.75 clLillet BlancFortified Wine

How to Make It

Shake over ice until well chilled, then strain into a deep goblet and garnish with a thin slice of lemon peel.Shaken

How to Serve

Glass: Cocktail Glass
Temperature: Chilled
Ice: Ice
Method: Shaken

Served Chilled

Serving tips

Serve Vesper cold and taste the bitterness before adjusting sweetness. A citrus peel or clean garnish can lift the aroma without making it sweeter. It is commonly matched with charcuterie, olives, salty snacks style pairings.

Taste

What does Vesper taste like?

Vesper has a drier, more aromatic profile. Bitter, herbal or botanical notes give it structure and make it feel less sugary.

Primary flavours

CitrusAperitifBotanical

Supporting notes

Floral Herbal Honey Juniper

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong

BodyLight – Full

SweetnessDry – Sweet

AcidityFlat – Crisp

FruitinessEarthy – Fruity

BoldnessDelicate – Bold

High ABV
Dry finish
Full-bodied

What do these dimensions mean?

Practical notes

When to choose it

How to decide if Vesper is right for you

Vesper is best when you want brightness and a clean tart edge. Choose it if citrus balance matters more than richness, creaminess or heavy sweetness. The listed serve is about 41.1% ABV, so strength is part of the decision.

Skip if

Skip Vesper if...

Skip Vesper if tart citrus is not what you want. Sour-style drinks rely on acidity, so they can feel sharp when you are looking for richness or sweetness.

When to serve

AperitifSuggested from its botanical and herbal notes.
Happy HourSuggested from pairing with charcuterie and olives.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Food pairings

Charcuterie OlivesSalty Snacks

Food pairings are derived from the drink flavour signature, mapped to one dominant pairing theme, then limited to coherent public suggestions.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

Gluten-Free Vegan Vegetarian

May be limited

KetoLow-CarbLow-Sugar

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Gin6 cl

VodkaKnown variation

How much to use: Use the same volume; expect less juniper and botanical aroma.
What changes: Vodka can replace gin when you want a cleaner, less botanical drink, but it usually changes the cocktail identity.

Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Vodka1.5 cl

GinWorks, but changes the drink

How much to use: Use the same volume; expect more juniper and herbal aroma.
What changes: Gin can replace vodka when a more botanical result is acceptable.