Is it better to shake or sitr your co*cktails? (2024)

If you’re a fan of Sean Connery, James Bond, or both, you’ve likely heard the quote, “Shaken, not stirred”. If you didn’t know it, this line was uttered by the titular secret agent while ordering a Vodka Martini in the 1964 film ‘Goldfinger”.

It’s a reference to the bartender mixing the Martini in a shaker before pouring it into a chilled co*cktail glass. But, if you don’t know it already, this quote has spurned a large amount of debate among bartenders and drinkers alike.

Ask most bartenders and they’ll tell you not to shake a Martini. Honestly, take a look at any recipe and you’ll find the drink stirred on most occasions. The reason for this is the fact that the use of gin (or vodka) and vermouth gets cloudy and diluted when it’s mixed together using an ice-filled shaker. Stirring it gently simply combines the ingredients without making it a cloudy, watery mess.

But just because the Martini is best suited for stirring, this doesn’t mean all co*cktails are the same. Countless drinks taste much better when combined in a shaker than when combined in gentle mixing.

Is it better to shake or stir?

There’s no easy answer to this question. There are co*cktails where shaking is more appropriate and drinks where mixing is the better technique. Below, we’re going to take a look at when you should use each technique.

When to shake

On top of the included alcoholic elements, any co*cktail that also used any dairy products, eggs, or fresh juice should be shaken. Shaking adds air bubbles to the drink. This adds a bit of creamy froth to your drink. On top of that, shaking is a better way to combine fresh fruit juices with other ingredients. Finally, can you imagine attempting to stir cream into a drink or an egg white? Good luck with that.

When to stir

While shaking is the way to good with more complex, ingredient-filled co*cktails, stirring is the better choice when it comes to simple co*cktails. A good idea is to stir your drink when it leans much heavier in the booze department. When a drink is mostly (or all) alcohol, you wouldn’t want to shake it. Stirring with ice will keep the drink clear, limit the dilution, and help chill the drink. Shaking it will make it cloudy and watery.

When both are wrong

It might seem like you should choose one or the other when it comes to co*cktailing. But when it comes to certain highball drinks, the better option is to simply build it. If you’re making a whiskey highball, you’ll want to add the whiskey and then top it with soda water. The same goes for sparkling wine-based drinks like the French 75.

Why does James Bond have shaken not stirred?

While the first time audiences heard 007 ordering a drink “shaken” was in ‘Goldfinger’, the first reference was in Ian Fleming’s 1956 James Bond novel ‘Diamonds Are Forever’. There’s not a lot of information as to why James Bond preferred his Martini shaken as opposed to stirred. Many believe that it just sounds cooler than “stirred, not shaken”.

What is the difference between shaken and stirred?

As we mentioned earlier, there are major differences between shaking and stirring. But, if you take a moment to think about it, the differences are quite obvious. Shaking a drink involves adding all the ingredients to a shaker with or without ice before straining it into your glass. Stirring, on the other hand, involves adding all of your ingredients to an ice-filled glass. You simply stir gently to combine everything. The finished product is much different.

Can you taste the difference between shaken and stirred Martini?

Shaking a Martini will add bubbles and cloudiness to your drink. While you won’t be able to taste the hazy appearance, you might notice the added air in the drink. You’ll also notice that the drink tastes much more watery than most drinkers would prefer. If you enjoy the flavor of gin (or vodka) and vermouth, you won’t want to shake your Martini.

Why is an Old Fashioned stirred and not shaken?

Since the classic Old Fashioned is made with whiskey, sugar, water, and bitters, it should never be prepared in a shaker. This is because, even though it contains a handful of non-alcoholic ingredients, it’s primarily whiskey. Stirring combines all the ingredients without diluting the flavors by adding air or watering it down.

Bottom line

There’s a time and place for both stirring and mixing your co*cktails. The key is understanding when each technique is correct based on the included ingredients and not listening to a fictional secret agent who doesn’t know anything about the art of bartending.