[crdb]

Yes. That. Bond was a bit of a "rebel" and he would signal it by being contrarian. Ordering vodka instead of gin would also signal "I'm an alcoholic, I'm not ashamed of it, I don't care for taste" (as vodka is a tasteless spirit).

The funny thing is that, due to Bond's popularity, asking for your martini stirred is now the contrarian thing to do. Unless enough people read up on it, discover that one should ask for it stirred, and then decide to signal their rejection of arriviste iconoclasm by asking for it shaken. I haven't been in a cocktail bar for a while so I don't know where in the cycle we are at the moment.

The French Bond, S.A.S. (by De Villiers) did not bother with these mind games and at least in the early books just orders vodka on ice, the alcoholic's drink of choice (tasteless, and with less congeners, leading to an easier hangover). De Villiers' willingness to do product placement sees him go through Cointreau, Gaston de Lagrange cognac, the ubiquitous Moet 1964, and one of the more popular brands of American bourbon (ends around the 20th book if I recall well).