Known for its sophistication and timelessness, the Martini cocktail is a blend of gin or vodka and vermouth, intentionally crafted for a balanced and crisp cocktail.
READ ARTICLE
A Guide to the Martini Cocktail
Aug 7, 2024
A Guide to the Martini Cocktail
In this guide, we’ll explore the origins of the Martini cocktail, the history of our MARTINI brand, and dive into popular variations, such as the Dry Martini cocktail, the Perfect Martini cocktail, and the Dirty Martini cocktail, to help you find your favourite serve. As a bonus, we’ll share our own classic Martini cocktail recipe, so you can discover how to make this classic drink with the finesse it deserves.
The history of the Martini cocktail and its origin
The origins of the Martini cocktail are a little unclear, but there are some widely accepted theories. The origins of the name itself are up for debate, with ‘Martinez’ and ‘Martini’ used interchangeably to refer to a gin and vermouth cocktail in 1880s bartenders’ manuals.
The city of Martinez, California claims ownership of the Martini cocktail. Legend has it a local tavern owner invented the ‘Martinez Special’ cocktail during the goldrush to celebrate a huge haul from a successful miner. O.H Byron’s The Modern Bartender Guide (1884) also lists the famous cocktail as a ‘Martinez’ but describes it as a variation of a Manhattan cocktail, which has a whiskey base rather than gin. One theory even credits us with popularising the name ‘Martini’ as an abbreviation of MARTINI & ROSSI.
Compared to modern Martini cocktails, the original variations were typically sweet. It’s theorised that the drink became progressively drier partially due to the emergency of London Dry Gin. Martini, then known as Martini & Rossi, launched MARTINI Extra Dry vermouth, popularising the dry martini cocktail in the US at the turn of the 20th Century.
Regardless of how the Martini cocktail came to be, its iconic status is undeniable. American critic H.L. Mencken once described the drink as “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet,” which may be high praise, but we’re inclined to agree.
How to create the Classic Martini cocktail
This contemporary vermouth is a complex blend of citrus and bittersweet orange with crisp white wines that creates a zesty and refreshing cocktail when mixed with bubbly tonic water.
GIN MARTINI COCKTAIL
The one and only MARTINI cocktail is a timeless classic ordered by everyone from Churchill to Hemingway. While the precise recipe is a matter of dispute, here is what we believe to be the perfect ratio.
Ingredients
- Martini Extra Dry¾oz
- Bombay Sapphire Gin ® 2 ½oz
- Ice Cubes5 - 6
- Lemon peel or olive to garnish
Method
Step 1
Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes. Step 2
Pour in the well-chilled vermouth and the gin and stir for about 20 seconds. Step 3
Strain into a well-chilled Martini glass. Step 4
Twist the peel over the cocktail, to release the oils, then drop into the drink as a garnish. Or garnish with an olive. What does a Martini cocktail taste like?
The Martini cocktail has a crisp and elegant taste, characterised by botanical nuances and a slight bitterness. When crafted with gin, the presence of juniper and herbal complexities culminates in a dry finish. Alternatively, opting for vodka yields a smoother flavour profile, with subtle sweetness and a neutral, clean backdrop. High-quality ingredients, precise measurements, proper chilling, and appropriate glassware are paramount for the perfect Martini cocktail, enhancing its delicate balance and sophistication.
How to serve a Martini cocktail
To serve a Martini cocktail, start by selecting either gin or vodka as your base spirit. The only other ingredient in this cocktail is vermouth, which adds both depth and complexity. The amount of vermouth in the cocktail typically indicates how ‘dry’ the Martini cocktail is.
The drink can be served straight up, without ice, or on the rocks, with ice. Martini cocktails are typically prepared with an olive garnish or a twist of lemon peel. The choice of garnish can subtly alter the flavour profile, with olives adding a briny note and lemon peel a taste of citrus.
The best thing about Martini cocktails is how they can be customised to your personal tastes, and there are several classic variations of the cocktail worth exploring. Some of the most famous include the Dirty Martini cocktail, incorporating olive brine for a salty twist, or the Sloe Gin Martini cocktail which switches out traditional gin for sloe gin.
Here are some classic Martini cocktail variations to help you find your style:
Dry Martini cocktail
Martini cocktail are commonly served dry, but some people prefer ‘dry’ or ‘extra-dry’ martinis. How ‘dry’ the Martini is reflects the quantity of vermouth in the cocktail. ‘Extra-dry’ indicates that very little vermouth has been added to the cocktail, making the gin the primary focus.
Wet Martini cocktail
The opposite to the Dry Martini, a Wet Martini uses more vermouth proportional to the base spirit. The vermouth, with its complex and aromatic flavour profile, used in the cocktail, the sweeter and richer the overall taste of your Martini.
Perfect Martini cocktail
The perfect Martini cocktail incorporates both dry and sweet vermouth in its creation. With a fifty-fifty ratio of dry vermouth and sweet vermouth, typically MARTINI Rosso, alongside the base spirit, the cocktail has a well-balanced but complex flavour profile. The dry vermouth adds herbal and floral notes, whilst the sweet vermouth adds a subtle sweetness and rich twist to this classic Martini cocktail variant.
Dirty Martini cocktail
A small amount of olive brine distinguishes the Dirty Martini cocktail from a classic Dry Martini cocktail. This addition adds a savoury, briny flavour to the cocktail, giving it a slightly salty and more robust taste than traditional Martini cocktails. The name ‘Dirty Martini’ comes from the cloudy appearance the olive brine gives the cocktail. Another variant of the Dirty Martini cocktail is a Filthy Martini cocktail, which includes a larger portion of olive brine, giving the drink a cloudier, dirtier appearance and an even saltier flavour.
Shaken or Stirred?
The long-raging debate of shaken versus stirred refers to the method of mixing a Martini cocktail. The phrase is associated with the character James Bond, who famously ordered his Martini cocktail “shaken, not stirred” in the iconic film series, adding to the image of the Martini cocktail as a symbol of class and sophistication. Gently stirring the ingredients together with the ice creates a silky smooth and crystal-clear cocktail with minimal dilution and a colder finish. Shaking your Martini cocktail in a shaker produces a cloudier cocktail due to the additional aeration, along with more dilution and a subtly warmer temperature.
As each method slightly alters the taste and texture of the cocktail, ultimately, whether you have your Martini cocktail shaken or stirred depends on your personal preference.
Our MARTINI brand history
The story of the MARTINI brand begins in 1863 in the picturesque town of Pessione, Italy with the collaborative talents of Alessandro Martini, Luigi Rossi, and Teofilo Sola. Their combined expertise in wine, herbs, botanicals, and business laid the foundation for what would become this iconic family brand for years to come.
With our closely guarded recipe, and high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, MARTINI has become synonymous with quality and refinement. We’re committed to tradition ensuring that each sip of MARTINI evokes a sense of both home and sophistication.
For a deeper dive into the legacy and history of MARTINI, visit MARTINI Heritage for more information.
What other cocktails can you make with MARTINI?
MARTINI’s vermouth isn’t just for making Martini cocktails. Our vermouths each have a unique flavour profile and are a delicious and elegant complement to many spirits, liquors and mixers.
Some of our favourite classic cocktails include:
• The famous Negroni, a timeless Italian blend of silky MARTINI Speciale Rubino and MARTINI Riserva Speciale Bitter with quality gin.
• The elegant Manhattan, adding a burst of maraschino liqueur and angostura bitters to smooth whiskey and our rich vermouth.
• The bright Americano, a zesty blend of MARTINI vermouths and soda water.
For a unique twist on traditional mixes try:
• Our Sbagliato Ambrato, a twist on the classic Negroni that uses MARTINI Riserva Speciale Ambrato for a floral and honeyed twist.
• Our Spritz cocktails. MARTINI vermouth elevates the classic Spritz. If you’re looking for bittersweet citrus flavours and a fruity twist, try MARTINI Fiero.