How To Make A Perfect Martini

The martini is a timeless classic. It never falls out of fashion as it is fashion. And there’s never a shortage of Bond films to remind us of its cool factor as well as to pique the interest of younger generations. Numerous theories on the cocktail’s origins exist, as do numerous versions and recipes. From gin or vodka to fruity or savory, the martini is a jack of all trades. Although, attaching “tini” to the end of a cocktail usually just means it’s served in a v-shaped glass, often called a martini glass, and has almost nothing to do with the classic martini cocktail, so we’ll be avoiding those.

When discussing martinis, it helps to be familiar with the lingo.

Martini Terms

• Dry: a martini with more gin and less vermouth
• Dirty: a martini with dashes of olive brine
• Up: chilled in a cocktail shaker and strained into a martini glass
• On the Rocks: served over ice as opposed to being strained into a cocktail glass
• With a Twist: garnished with lemon zest
• Classic Martini: classic martini is made with dry gin, dry vermouth, ice, and olives
• Perfect Martini: slightly sweeter than a classic, the perfect martini is made with equal parts sweet vermouth and dry vermouth
• In-and-Out: vermouth is swirled in the glass, then poured out prior to adding gin
• Gibson: a martini garnished with a cocktail onion
• Buckeye: a martini garnished with a black olive instead of green
• Kangaroo: uses vodka instead of gin
• Vesper: gin, vodka, and Kina Lillet vermouth, garnished with a twist of lemon peel (unfortunately, Kina Lillet no longer exists, but there are alternatives you can use)

Now that you’re well-versed in martini lingo, you can not only condescendingly correct your friends, but you’ll be able to wow them with the martini recipes below!

Top Martini Recipes

Classic Martini

Ingredients

• 2½ oz of London dry gin
• 1 barspoon of dry vermouth
• Ice
• Spanish olive(s) for garnish

Directions

1. Chill a martini glass.
2. In a mixing glass, combine the gin and vermouth.
3. Add the ice and stir until chilled, about 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Strain into the chilled martini glass and garnish with the Spanish olive.

Perfect Martini

Ingredients

• ½ oz dry vermouth
• ½ oz sweet vermouth
• 2 oz London dry gin
• Ice
• Lemon peel for garnish

Directions

1. Chill a martini glass.
2. In a mixing glass, combine the sweet and dry vermouth and the gin.
3. Add ice and stir to chill.
4. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the lemon peel.

Vesper

Ingredients

• 3 oz Gin
• 1 oz Vodka
• ½ oz Lillet blanc aperitif or Cocchi Americano
• Garnish: Lemon twist

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir (or, if preparing the Bond way, shake)
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
3. Twist a slice of lemon peel over the drink, rub along the rim of the glass, and drop it in

Dirty Martini

Ingredients

• 2 ½ oz Gin or vodka
• ½ oz Dry vermouth
• ½ oz Olive brine
• Garnish: Olives

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
3. Garnish with 2 olives

Black Pepper Gibson

Ingredients

• Dry vermouth
• 4 oz Vodka
• Garnish: Cocktail onions and black pepper

Directions

1. Rinse a Martini glass with vermouth and set aside.
2. Add the vodka to a mixing glass and fill with ice.
3. Stir, and strain into the prepared glass.
4. Garnish with cocktail onions and freshly cracked black pepper.

Marguerite

Ingredients

• 1 oz Plymouth gin
• 1 oz Noilly Prat dry vermouth
• 1 dash Regans Orange Bitters
• Garnish: 1 Lemon peel

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice.
2. Stir, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with a lemon peel and/or a small Spanish olive without pimento.

French Martini

Ingredients

• 2 oz Vodka
• 1 ¾ oz Pineapple juice
• ¼ oz Crème de cassis liqueur

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake.
2. Fine-strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Hendrick’s Breakfast Martini

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz Hendrick’s Gin
• 2 tsp Orange marmalade
• ¾ oz Fresh lemon juice
• ½ oz Simple syrup
• Garnish: 1 Lemon peel

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice.
2. Shake, and strain into a cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with a lemon peel and serve with buttered toast on the side.

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