Ingredients
- 60mlGin
No Gin? London Dry Gin — juniper forward, and what these recipes assume if you have not got a preference · Old Tom Gin — sweeter and rounder, the older style · Navy Strength Gin — a lot stronger, so save it for a clear afternoon
- 30mlDry Vermouth
No Dry Vermouth? Blanc Vermouth — slightly less dry and more balanced
- 2 dashesOrange Bitters
- Garnish
- Lemon twist or an olive
Make it well
Stirred, properly.
This one is all spirit and no citrus so we'll - don't listen to 007!
Add the Gin, Vermouth and into your and top up with ice
Stir for 30 seconds as quickly as you can to chill it right down. Try to move the ice as one while stirring. Weird tip, using a chopstick works perfectly!
Strain into a Martini glass
Garnish with a lemon or an olive
On the palate
On the nose it's candied orange from the bitters. A light note of the botanicals from the gin and vermouth. On tasting, it's orange up front giving way to a spicy (use a great gin) and peppery taste from the botanicals. It's soft and has a silky texture to it. A great stiff drink this one, very refreshing and relaxing. Super chilled out sipping.
Where it came from
Shockingly, the origin of the Martini is as debated and mysterious as many of its classic 1800s counterparts. It is generally accepted that it was a riff on the Manhattan, the first (although that's also debated) drink to mix spirits and vermouth. The Martini's direct ancestor is thought to be the Martinez, and that one won't give us a straight answer either. It first turns up in print in O.H. Byron's Modern Bartender's Guide in 1884, though Byron couldn't be less helpful about it: "same as Manhattan, only you substitute gin for whisky", and that's your lot, no amounts, no method. The version everyone actually makes comes from Jerry Thomas' Bartenders Guide in 1887, which would be far more convincing if Thomas hadn't died in 1885. The Martinez combined gin and sweet vermouth among other spirits, and we've got a recipe for it now. It's thought inspiration from the Martinez and Manhattan gave the Martini its origin. Other stories suggest a bartender named Martin invented it! Who knows...
Keep pouring
If you like the Martini, try these
The bartender’s note
One drink, one story, one bottle worth buying.
Thursday evening, so you have time to shop. No more than that.