Drink This Now: the Ian Fleming at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar

July 23, 2015

Natalie Gallagher,

Anyone with a special place for the Vesper martini — the one that Bond made famous, with gin, vodka and Kina Lillet — needs to get down to Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar and sip on the Ian Fleming. It’s a pretty straightforward riff on the classic cocktail, head bartender Kenny Cohrs told me on a recent visit: Three-parts gin and one-part vodka (Jax uses products from S.D. Strong, the Parkville, Missouri, distillery), Lillet blanc and the special addition of orange bitters.

In the case of the Ian Fleming, the orange bitters subtly boosted the profile of the drink. The botanicals of the gin and the gentle citrus and floral notes of the Lillet were brought forward, and the light, svelte martini in front of me disappeared a bit more quickly than I’m proud to admit.

But I was at Jax on a Monday, when the bar runs happy hour all night. And I had oysters coming. So, you know, a follow-up cocktail was imminent. I chose the Affirmed off Jax’s happy-hour menu: A $5 rocks-glass cocktail boasting a house cherry-infused bourbon, cinnamon syrup, ginger ale and lemon juice. Cohrs shook all these ingredients together and delivered the drink with a brandy-soaked cherry.

It was Christmas in a glass, basically. The cinnamon gently warmed the back of my throat, and the sweet bourbon infusion was lightened up by the citrus and ginger ale. It was a simple, but totally enjoyable, sipper — something even nonbourbon lovers can enjoy with confidence.