Cocktails › Classics › Classic Martini
Classic Martini
Two ingredients and total confidence. A great Martini is cold beyond reason, silky in texture, and loud with juniper and citrus, with vermouth softening the edges and the garnish making the final call.
Ingredients
- 2.5oz (75ml) gin, London dry style
- 0.5oz (15ml) dry vermouth
- 1 dash orange bitters, optional
- Lemon twist or green olive, for garnish
- Plenty of fresh ice
Method
- Chill a Martini glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water while you work.
- Add gin, vermouth, and bitters if using, to a mixing glass filled with fresh ice.
- Stir for 30 to 40 seconds until the mixing glass frosts and the drink is diluted just enough to turn silky.
- Empty the chilled glass, strain the drink into it, and finish with the lemon twist expressed over the top or the olive dropped in.
Tip: Cold is the whole game. Keep the gin in the freezer if you love a thick and silky pour, chill the glass without fail, and stir longer than instinct suggests.
Variations
- Extra Dry Martini. Drop the vermouth to a quarter ounce and the gin speaks almost alone. Aromatic and bracing, with the lemon twist doing the softening.
- Dirty Martini. Add half an ounce of olive brine and garnish with two olives. Savory and salty, and best stirred until it is properly frigid.
Questions
What ratio makes a classic Martini?
Five parts gin to one part dry vermouth is the classic modern call. Older recipes pour richer with more vermouth, so make the five to one first and tune from there.
Should a Martini be shaken or stirred?
Stirred, always, for a Martini built only from spirits. Stirring keeps it crystal clear and silky, while shaking clouds it and chips ice through the drink.
Lemon twist or olive in a Martini?
Both are classic. A twist makes the drink brighter and more aromatic, while an olive makes it softer and more savory. Pick one mood per glass.
What gin works best in a Martini?
A London dry gin with strong juniper and citrus is the classic choice. The vermouth has nowhere to hide either, so use a fresh bottle kept in the fridge.
Why does my Martini taste harsh?
It is likely too warm or not diluted enough. Stir longer with plenty of fresh ice, serve it in a properly chilled glass, and drink it while it is still frigid.