I had been to the Dukes Bar a few months back and had fallen in love with the place (read our reviews of The Dukes Hotel and Great British Restaurant). The décor made me feel as if James Bond would walk through the door at any moment and order a martini, shaken, not stirred. And the barmen had an elaborate way to serve a drink which included bringing the bar cart to the sitting area of your choosing to explain what went in the drink and how to make it. I knew I would be back.

When I started my magazine I knew immediately I wanted to do a photo shoot there. In August I got to do just that. I interviewed Yasin Valimulla of Mancave-UAE and I ordered a drink while Yasin regaled me with tales of his past. The Vesper was created for James Bond by Ian Fleming. “The Vesper… because once you’ve tasted it, you won’t drink anything else.”