In the short story “ From a View to a Kill” (1960), Bond chooses an Americano as an appropriate drink for a mere café suggesting that “in cafés you have to drink the least offensive of the musical comedy drinks that go with them.” Bond always stipulates Perrier, for, in his opinion, expensive soda water was the cheapest way to improve a poor drink.
In “ From Russia With Love” (1957), Bond drinks “two excellent Americanos” in Rome during his flight to Istanbul. It is the first drink ordered by James Bond in the first novel in Ian Fleming’s series, “ Casino Royale” (1953). This drink was itself a descendant of the “Torino-Milano”, a concoction consisting of equal parts Campari and Amaro Cora.
It is the direct descendant of the “Milano-Torino” which consisted of Campari, the bitter liqueur from Milan (Milano) and Punt e Mes, the vermouth from Turin (Torino) but lacked soda water. The cocktail was first served in creator Gaspare Campari’s bar, Caffè Campari, in the 1860s. The Americano is an IBA official cocktail composed of Campari, sweet vermouth, and for the sparkling version, club soda and garnished with a slice of lemon. Bond book appearances: Casino Royale (1953), From Russia With Love (1957), From a View to a Kill (1960), Devil May Care (2008)
