The Martini is one of the most iconic cocktails in existence, yet few know how to properly make it. All questions of shaken or stirred aside, there are now so many riffs on the classic recipe that even nailing down the core ingredients can be confusing.
First, the most important thing you have to ask yourself is whether you’d rather use gin or vodka as your base spirit. While flavors and tasting notes will vary from brand to brand, you can generally rely on gin to create a more botanical, herbaceous cocktail while the right vodka will lend a clean, bright backbone.
From there, your base spirit will live in your glass with only one other ingredient: vermouth. Because of how simple this core recipe remains, many like to rinse a glass with vermouth before assembling the cocktail, to ensure the flavors make it all the way around your drink. The light wash will ensure your first sips are coated with just enough vermouth, but always feel free to tweak the recipe and ratios to ensure you’re getting the flavors you prefer.
Every Martini deserves to be finished with a classic lemon twist, which serves as much more than just a garnish. It’s important to slice as thin a piece of lemon peel as possible, as you want to make sure you’re not adding bitter pith to your careful cocktail. The “twist” shape is also important, as twisting the peel is the only way to really spray the lemon’s essential oils across the top of your drink. If you’re still new to “expressing citrus” you can read up on the technique here, and get ready for a world of garnish opportunity.
Once you master the core recipe, you’ll be ready to move on to Pornstar or Espresso Martinis, and may even find yourself craving Dirty Martinis on Friday. With so many riffs to experiment with it’s important to make sure you invest in reliable glassware and find one bar staple to hold every Martini you dream up.
One great example are these Cooler than Cool Chilled Martini Glasses, which feature a proprietary gel that will keep the liquid inside cool all night. Because every Martini is intensely spirit-driven, serving your cocktail as cold as possible is a Must. That said, traditional glasses can become too cold after being popped in the freezer, but the silicone band wrapping these glasses means you’ll never have to worry about freezing off your fingers.
Every set comes with two glasses that can hold nine ounces comfortably so you can serve a double or alter your classic recipes as much as needed. So if you’re looking for the best glassware for outdoor drinking this summer, make sure to scoop these up before they sell out!
Once you’ve secured your glassware, make sure to check out our classic Martini Recipe below.
The Gin Martini
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ oz Gin
- ¾ oz Dry vermouth
- Lemon twist or olives for garnish
Directions
- Combine ingredients in an ice-filled mixing glass or shaker.
- Stir vigorously for 15 seconds.
- Strain into Cooler than Cool Chilled Martini Glass.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.
