Stirred · c.1888
Martini
Two ingredients and nowhere to hide. Everything rests on temperature and dilution.
Specification
| London dry gin | 60 ml |
| Dry vermouth | 15 ml |
| Orange bitters | 1 dash (optional) |
| Lemon twist or olive | 1 |
Method
- 01Chill the glass with ice and water while you work.
- 02Combine gin and vermouth in a mixing glass with ice.
- 03Stir 30 seconds — you want it painfully cold.
- 04Strain into the chilled glass and garnish.
Where it comes from
The Martini descends from the sweeter Martinez of the 1880s and dried out steadily for a century, until vermouth was barely a rumour. Modern bars have reversed the trend: more vermouth, colder glass, better drink.
If you change one thing: Vermouth is a wine. Once opened it lives in the fridge and is finished within a month — a tired bottle is the most common reason a Martini tastes flat.