When we think of late spring and early summer drinking, we tend to think about lighter beers and refreshing cocktails. It’s the time of year for lagers, pilsners, pale ales, gin & tonics, margaritas, and daiquiris. But it’s also the perfect time of year to get reacquainted with the classic, distinguished martini. That’s because June 19th is National Martini Day. And while we celebrate the favorite drink of James Bond every day of the year, we’re always happy to celebrate a holiday. Especially when that holiday is centered around booze.
For those unaware, a martini is a simple, classic cocktail made with gin and vermouth. Sometimes vodka is used instead of gin, and it’s often garnished with a lemon twist or an olive. It’s a simply booze-centric drink that doesn’t need multiple ingredients. Like the whiskey in an old fashioned, the vodka or gin is allowed to take center stage and shine.
While many cocktails are difficult to perfect if you’re a novice home mixologist, it’s difficult to mess up a traditional martini. Although if you just jump right in without any background you might end up with something that tastes more like lawnmower fuel than a classy, high-end cocktail. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. Below, you’ll find a few tips and techniques designed to help you master this iconic cocktail. Keep scrolling to learn them all and the next time you have guests over (or if you simply want to show off to friends or family members) you can wow them with the perfect martini.
~ The Drier The Better ~
If you’re going to make a martini, you better do it right. The classic martini is made with gin, so that’s what you should use. If you don’t like the juniper-based, botanical flavor of a great gin, you’re out of luck with this cocktail. We guess you can use vodka, but this is the last time you’ll see it mentioned as a possibility in this story. Also, the traditional martini isn’t an appletini or a dirty martini, or a coffee martini, it’s a dry martini. The best part? Crafting a mouth-watering dry martini is extremely easy and stress-free.
“If you don’t like the juniper-based, botanical flavor of a great gin, you’re out of luck with this cocktail.”
While you can add simple, other ingredients, really all you need is a great, flavorful gin and dry vermouth. While we don’t advocate simply coating your glass with vermouth so that the drink is almost entirely gin, we do believe the best martinis are focused on the gin more than anything else. However, dry vermouth should be in there, or else it’s just a glass of gin, right?
~ Gin Is In ~
We drink our martinis with a gin base because we enjoy the flavor of a well-made gin and that’s the way they’re supposed to be prepared. Like with all cocktails, the martinis genesis is shrouded in mystery. One of the most common stories takes place in Martinez, California in the 1800s. This is where a man supposedly struck gold and stopped at a bar to celebrate. He asked for Champagne, but since the bar was currently out of stock, he was given a cocktail of gin, vermouth, bitters, maraschino liqueur, and a lemon slice.
It was referred to as the “Martinez Special” and made its first appearance in the ‘Bartender’s Manual’ in the late 1800s. Thus, what would eventually (after a slight name change and removal of some ingredients) become the martini. A gin-based (not vodka) cocktail that’s still enjoyed today.
~ Pick The Right Gin ~
Since gin is the base (and most prevalent) flavor of this cocktail, picking the right gin is key. As opposed to other clear spirits (namely vodka), it’s extremely complex and can vary heavily in flavor from brand to brand. For those new to the spirit, gin is a clear, distilled neutral grain spirit similar to vodka. The difference is that it’s infused with flavors like juniper berries, caraway seeds, licorice, cassia bark, orange peel, and various other herbs and botanicals. While all gins start with a base juniper flavor, the different herbs and botanicals included can heavily influence the flavor profile.
“The other option is buying a bottle of classic London dry gin like Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Beefeater, or an upstart like Bluecoat or Sipsmith. While the gin you choose is up to you, just don’t pick a cheap gin in a plastic handle.”
Since gin is so complicated, we suggest going one of two ways when picking the gin for your martini. If you already have a flavorful favorite, go with that. Even if it’s overly complex with dozens of different botanicals. If it’s your favorite gin, use it as the base. You’ll probably be happy you did. The other option is buying a bottle of classic London dry gin like Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Beefeater, or an upstart like Bluecoat or Sipsmith. While the gin you choose is up to you, just don’t pick a cheap gin in a plastic handle. You’ll regret it the morning after and your martini will be memorable in a bad way.
~ Stir, Don’t Shake ~
You might not like it, but James Bond was wrong. There, we said it. When he asked for his martini to be “shaken, not stirred”, he was doing the drink a disservice. Any bartender will tell you not to shake a martini. Why? Shaking a martini dilutes the drink by mixing way too much air into it. It creates an unappealing, cloudy, hazy appearance that leads to a water-down cocktail with much less flavor. Stirring the drink lets the ice melt gently and doesn’t incorporate unnecessary air into the equation. It creates an elegant, flavorful cocktail.
“You might not like it, but James Bond was wrong. There, we said it. When he asked for his martini to be “shaken, not stirred”, he was doing the drink a disservice.”
~ A Lemon Twist ~
We understand the appeal of adding olives (or even blue cheese stuffed olives) to your martini. But, in our opinion, that’s more of a dirty martini garnish. And, since we’re all about the dry martini, we suggest if you use a garnish at all you should make it something that will complement the flavors and add to the overall flavor. This is simply a lemon twist. By that, we mean a lemon peel that’s twisted in the shape similar to a corkscrew and then simply dropped into the cocktail. The flavor is subtle and will only add to the dimensions of the dry martini.
~ The Perfect Dry Martini ~
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces gin
- 1/4 ounce dry vermouth
- Lemon peel
Preparation:
In a large mixing glass, add ice cubes. Pour in the gin and dry vermouth. Stir slowly. Strain the drink into a martini glass. Add a lemon twist. Drink it and revel in its mix of complexity and simple elegance.
~ Enjoy Yourself ~
While the martini is a fancy, elegant cocktail when prepare correctly, preparing it shouldn’t be an anxiety-filled, stressful time. It should be simple and easy. Pick the gin you like, prepare it, and enjoy. That’s it. Then, sit back and enjoy the drink preferably while you sit overlooking a large body of water or while dipping your feet in a kiddie pool. Whatever makes you happy.
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