The Martini
Yes, it’s finally time to address that quintessential cocktail, the Martini. This drink has suffered terribly from becoming far too easy of a name to just toss about haphazardly. To understand this better, let me quickly relate it to a similar situation that occurred in the wine industry during the 1950’s.
Great wine was not always as easily available as it is today, and imported wine even less so. America just wasn’t into wine in those days. It was during this time that for some reason a particular wine region of France made a big impression with the high-quality wines that they began exporting to us. It became “the” wine to drink and was really showing the American palate what real wine could taste like. Unfortunately, its very popularity became its downfall. It became so popular that many lesser American wineries started using that name to label their wines with, just so that they could profit from this sudden popularity. It didn’t take long before its name became synonymous with “cheap white wine”. It was mostly because of this very situation that France essentially “copyrighted” their treasured wine regions so that Americans wouldn’t be able to destroy their reputations. The wine region that suffered this setback? Chablis. To this day, many consumers will steer away from Chablis, still equating it as just cheap “plonk”. Instead they will set their sights on their preferred white wine, “Chardonnay”. What many of them don’t realize is that Chablis IS Chardonnay.
Likewise the Martini. The Martini isn’t just any cocktail, it is a specific cocktail, made with specific ingredients. Unfortunately the Martini became such an iconic example of a cocktail, that establishments - wishing to profit from association, started referring to anything served in a cocktail glass as being a type of Martini. You can even see a similar fate happening to many other “overly popular” cocktails, their names are being tacked onto drinks that often bare no resemblance to them, simply as a way to entice customers to try them out; Pineapple Cosmopolitans, Mango Mojitos, along with countless Margaritas and Daiquiris.
Dry Martini
- 2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist or a single olive.
The above is what would be called a “4 to 1” Martini, meaning that it is using 4 parts gin to 1 part dry vermouth. It is referred to as a “dry” Martini because it is using dry vermouth instead of sweet, which was how the Martini was originally made. Yes, I realize that these days many people have come to believe that “dry” is in reference to less and less dry vermouth in it, but that unfortunately is a nomenclature that is born out of ignorance, and not one that I can innocently subscribe to. I will also not refer to cheap white wine as “Chablis”.
The goal with a properly made Martini is to present the palate with a balance of the flavors it contains. You should almost not be able to tell where the gin stops, and the dry vermouth begins. The “modern” (gin) martini is often nothing more than a glass of cold gin, which may be a fine drink (if you like straight gin), but it is outside the concept of what a Martini should be. It is also critical that the ingredients spend enough time on the ice to get just the right amount of dilution so that the bite of the alcohol is reduced to a smooth and subtle texture, still present, but not overshadowing the drink.
Give this version of the Martini a try, paying special attention to the flavor balance. You should also play around a little with the ratios presented until you feel that you’ve gotten to that perfect point where the gin and vermouth have become so balanced as to almost become a brand new flavor.
Hey Robert:
I did the experimentation thing, and concluded that I like a 2:1 gin to vermouth ratio. This is the only type that I drink at home, and I rarely order Martinis out.
However, I was on a business trip a few months ago and naively ordered a “Dry Martini” at the hotel bar. It didn’t taste right at all. Then I looked over at the bar and discovered why. The bartender’s techinique was to pour a shot of vermouth into an ice-filled glass, dump the ice and vermouth into the sink, then fill the glass with cold gin. Blasphemous!
Lesson learned: You can ‘t be too specific when ordering your Martini…even if it makes you sound like a pretentious ass.
BTW…Martini is my favorite cocktail, but the one thing that I don’t like about it is the glass. It seems like the slightest movement sends the drink spilling onto your shirt. Thank God it’s a clear drink. I feel sorry for those who drink cranberry Martinis.
Sal