Welcome to JQ – James Quintessential – where all good agents and agents-in-training will learn how to live life OO7 style.

For the inaugural column, I thought the first lessons in Bond style should represent something that is closely identified with the man and his life. Of course, few things are as closely related to Bond than his beverages. Like him, they are cold, strong, and most of all, distinctive. But I am getting ahead of myself. The actual consumption of the beverage is merely the climax of the entire drinking experience. And the secret to Bond’s success is not the in the climax, but in the foreplay.

When one decides to go out to have a drink by her or himself, or with friends, make sure you are dressed appropriately. Many lines of text will be spent at a later on how a proper Bond aficionado should dress when meeting the world. Suffice to say for right now, take note of how Bond is dressed when drinking. He is either in a tux, a suit, or perhaps his most sexy outfit – his birthday suit.

At the local public bar, casual business attire will do nicely. As the grade of the establishment you are in rises, so too does the dress code. At a hotel bar or a more refined drinking establishment, a nicely cut, conservative suit is required. At private clubs, four-star hotels, resorts, casinos and restaurants, nothing less than formal attire is acceptable. Of course when serving a drink to your current lover, the attire and the beverage depend entirely on the situation. In other words, one should go with the flow.

That being said, as much as proper attire is important, so to is the glassware important. Champagne is best served in a tulip cut glass, to best catch the aroma of the bubbly. One often sees champagne served in trumpet cut or flute cut classes, but your sense of style is not about what is often seen, but what should be seen. And speaking of what should be done, never serve an alcoholic beverage in a paper or plastic party cup, even when at work. It is understandable that one can not bring fine glassware to work, but one can always find in a party good store suitable clear plastic glasses in the appropriate design for the beverage you will be serving.

Ideally, champagne should be between forty to forty-five degrees Fahrenheit, or seven degrees Centigrade when served. The bucket that the champagne rests in should be fifty percent ice and fifty percent water. If necessary, two hours in the refrigerator is acceptable. If truly desperate, twenty minutes in the freezer will do. Presumably, no one will notice, but good agents do not work on presumptions. And it should go without saying that the beverage should have a vintage of at least ten years.

Contrary to public opinion, red wine should not be served at room temperature. Deeper red wines like a Burgundy should be served at temperature between sixty-two to sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit, (seventeen to eighteen degrees Centigrade), while lighter ones like a Beaujolais are best served at a temperature of sixteen degrees Fahrenheit, (sixteen degrees Centigrade), if not a couple of degrees cooler. Blush wines (such as Zinfandels) should be served at temperature in the low fifties (Fahrenheit) or just about ten degrees Centigrade. White wines are best served at sixty degrees Fahrenheit (sixteen degrees centigrade).

Hard liquors and cocktails are stored at room temperature and ice added depending on recipe and taste. Many bookstores offer guides to making cocktails. It is worth the money to get one and memorize a few popular drink mixes. Make sure to gather intelligence on what your friends like drinking, so you can make their drinks from memory without having to look at the guide. Why you ask? Let me answer this way – have you ever seen James Bond studying a book when making a drink?

Martinis are traditionally served in what has come to be known as the martini glass, a small piece of stemware with a wide mouth. It does bear noting that vodka martinis really should be shaken and not stirred because it completely dissolves the vermouth, leaving the drink less oily. When drinking as Bond would drink it, ask for it in a goblet.

Scotch and Whiskey, mixed or not are served in small glasses, and bourbon may be served the same way if it is straight. If it is mixed, depending on the strength of the beverage, use an appropriately sized tumbler.

If you are given the honour of tasting for your table or group to find out if the wine or champagne is suitable for consumption, permit your glass to be filled one-third of the way. If the beverage is acceptable, instruct the wine steward to fill the glasses one-half to two-thirds full for champagne, and one-half full for wine. Mind you, if there is something wrong with champagne or wine, it is not snobby to send it back. You are entitled to get what you are paying for. Do as Bond does in “Diamonds Are Forever,” shake your head in the negative, and do not permit any other glasses to be filled. Undoubtedly another wine will be sent to you, and chances are this wine will be much better. No wine steward wants to suffer the embarrassment of having the wine rejected twice – never mind the possible loss in business.

If you are having a drink prepared by a bartender, be sure to take the first sip in front of him or her, and nod appreciatively – even if the drink is not quite perfect. Good manners take precedence over personal opinion. If the drink is not made well, simply do not order another one.

When settling the bill, if it is yours to take care of, nod to the server when he arrives with the cheque. If you wish to surprise someone by paying for them, slip away, allegedly to the restroom or to make a call, and take care of it then. If someone is paying for you, ask if you may leave the tip, if tips are accepted in such places. If tips are permitted, leave at least double the tax, if not more depending on the quality of the service and beverage.

It should go without saying that all good agents do not get drunk, and most certainly not in public. Know your limits, and know that whatever those limits are, they are cut in half when drinking on an empty stomach. Drink until a discussion that you usually find boring is slightly amusing. If your companion becomes intoxicated, discretely let the server know, so your companion will not further intoxicate her or himself. Steer the conversation to safe topics so this person will not make a fool out of her or himself. Make sure he or she is able to get home safely without harming her or himself or others, even if that means inconveniencing yourself. It is better to be inconvenienced than a witness to a horrible tragedy.

At the end of the evening, thank your companions for lovely evening, and be on your way. Plans for another engagement can be made at a later date. Offer to escort any unescorted lady home, just to make sure she gets there safely. Return to your own home confident that you just had a drinking experience James Bond would have been pleased to share with you.

Barbara Emanuele can be reached through barbara.emanuele@commanderbond.net. Feedback and comments are welcomed.