After Justin Timberlake was arrested for allegedly drunk driving in the Hamptons early Tuesday, the pop star told cops he had just “one martini.” Earlier that night, the ex-NSYNC vocalist met friends at celebrity hotspot the American Hotel in Sag Harbor.
Now, The Daily Beast has been able to confirm with sources who have knowledge about the night of his arrest that Timberlake enjoyed a Vesper martini from the hotel’s cocktail menu, which also includes an Aperol spritz and Hemingway daiquiri.
“It’s all alcohol,” the insider said. “There is no mixer.”
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The Vesper—invented by author Ian Fleming for his fictional James Bond and named after sultry double-agent Vesper Lynd—is made of a wine-based aperitif Lillet Blanc, Tanqueray gin, and Grey Goose vodka, shaken over ice.
As cocktail blogger Moody Mixologist notes, the drink “is not for the faint of heart” as the original recipe can contain a “whopping 4 ounces of liquor.”
“It’s safe to say that the level of alcohol in this martini is equivalent to a double of just about any other cocktail,” the blog says, “so please keep that in mind when mixing one up.”
How much alcohol Timberlake, 43, consumed that night is unclear, but authorities say he refused a breathalyzer test three times.
The “Cry Me A River” singer is charged with driving while intoxicated and was released without bail on Tuesday. He pleaded not guilty.
His lawyer, Edward Burke Jr., told Us Weekly, “The charge was a single count because he refused the breath test. Mr. Timberlake was also charged with two other court citations, running a stop sign and not traveling in the correct traffic lane.”
Police say Timberlake was pulled over in his 2025 BMW at 12:37 a.m. for failing to heed a stop sign and “maintain his lane of travel.” He appeared intoxicated, his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, and he had bloodshot, glassy eyes, according to a criminal complaint, which also states he didn’t pass field sobriety tests.
One insider told Page Six that the arresting officer “was so young that he didn’t even know” who Timberlake was.
Timberlake, who is in the middle of his “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour,” told police he was following his friends home. The Grammy winner’s next court date is scheduled for July 26.
On Wednesday, Burke’s office said the prominent lawyer “looks forward to vigorously defending Mr. Timberlake against these allegations.”
“He will have a lot to say at the appropriate time,” they said. “He is currently awaiting full discovery from the DA’s office.”
One witness told the New York Post that Timberlake appeared “wasted” at the hotel bar and even snatched another patron’s drink when he went to the restroom. When the man returned, the Post reports, the songwriter was downing his beverage.
The observer recalled: “The guy goes, ‘Justin, that’s my drink!’”
Meanwhile, the American Hotel’s owner says Timberlake is welcome back anytime. Ted Conklin told TMZ the former boy-band heartthrob was a “great guest and a nice guy” and insisted that he was not over-served at the establishment.
