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Martini, the most well-known cocktail in the world thanks to James Bond’s problems coping with all the people he killed. As such, there are countless iterations of the drink, with even a tiramisu martini being a real thing, not just something alcoholics lie their children about. But we decided to teach you how to make a proper one with the classic Martini recipe, one that will make agent 007 complain to M as it is stirred, not shaken.
If you don’t appreciate the Mi6’s taste in libations, maybe KGB is better suited for you.
Martini history
An Italian vermouth maker in the 19th century started marketing its product under the name Martini after the last name of the company’s director, that’s the most likely origin of the name. As it comes to the drink itself things get pretty blurry seeing how it is such an old drink, and the youngest concrete data says that the cocktail originates from Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City where the bartender made a drink with almost identical ingredients and ratio.
Famed journalist H. L. Mencken called the martini “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet”. Besides the Old Fashioned, it’s one of the most American cocktails, even though a Brit popularized it.
As gin is was made easily during the Prohibition era in the United States, this boosted the popularity of Martini. It was only in the ’40s and ’50s of the 20th century when vodka made its way to the States and overthrow gin as the primary ingredient of the famed cocktail probably because it’s more commonly used. We’re focusing on the classic here, therefore a gin Martini.
Martini equipment
– Martini glass/cocktail coupe
– Bar spoon/teaspoon
– A strainer
– Mixing glass
– Jigger/shot glass for measurement
Martini Ingredients
– Gin
– Dry vermouth
– Ice
– Lemon
How To Make a Martini
While there are many Martini recipes as we mentioned, this is the classic. The original.
Photo: Spanishalex(Getty Images)
Start by placing ice in the martini glass in order to chill it. You don’t have to use the proper martini glass, a cocktail coupe one will do too, that’s the one with a rounder shape, and some would even say the original.
Pour two ounces of gin into the mixing glass for cocktails, or just use a pint glass if you don’t have one. Add an ounce of vermouth. The mixing glass itself should also be cooled, but don’t sweat it if you don’t have access to a ton of ice to pre-cool it, just make sure it’s not warm, like fresh out of the dishwasher. The glass should be ice-free while you’re pouring the drinks in it.
Remove the ice from your martini glass.
Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir it with a bar spoon, or a teaspoon if you don’t have pro equipment, for around eight seconds keeping in mind that the speed is not as important as not hitting the glass as much and making noise, as that creates bubbles of air.
Put the strainer in the mixing glass and pour the liquid into the serving glass which is awaiting the drink nice and cold. If you don’t have a strainer put a smaller glass inside the mixing glass while pouring, in order for you to block out the ice from going into the martini glass.
Don’t go all fancy and do the long pour where you put the mixing glass way above the target, as that will create bubbles of air, and if we wanted that we would’ve shaken the cocktail, not stir it. It’s all about the clarity of the Martini.
Peel of a strip of lemon, put it over the glass with the yellow side facing down and pinch it with your fingertips so it releases its juice onto the drink. Slide the yellow side of the strip around the edges of the glass, then twist it and put it the drink.
There you go, the perfect dry Martini recipe.
Gin Martini Recipe Pro Hint
Without wanting to be too specific for an amateur mixer like you probably are, this is purely optional if you want to go in deep – before starting, your Vermouth should be in the freezer, while the Gin ought to be stored at room temperature.
Try our Martini recipe, then come back and tell us your impressions. Cheers.
