Question: Bond is very picky about having a martinti, shaken not stirred. If he drank a martini that was stirred, not shaken, would he be able to tell the difference?
Answer: Shaking also causes more melting of the ice resulting in a milder, if watered down, taste suited to Bond's sophisticated palate.
Answer: We tried that as well on several times and on many various evenings. There is a serious difference.
Answer: Actually, yes, he would. The key to a vodka martini, Bond's preferred tipple, is that it should be served ice-cold. By shaking the drink, the ice cubes have a better chance to swish around the whole drink than they would if it was only stirred. It apparently also has the effect of dispersing the ingredients better, giving a different taste to the drink. In the spirit of scientific experimentation, some friends and I tried the drink both ways in a blind taste test a while back - it makes a surprising difference.
Tailkinker ★
If you shake it, it turns cloudy.