“Shaken, not stirred.” These familiar words launched the Martini into a new strata of fame, and yet almost killed the drink at the same time. Here’s the deal: James Bond was a nincompoop. The reason that vermouth-based drinks are never meant to be shaken is simple – vermouth gets big, ugly bubbles in it when shaken. To add insult to injury, shaking a Martini causes too much ice to melt in it, throwing off the delicate balance of ingredients.