Anatomy of a Classic Cocktail: The Martini

Anatomy of a Classic Cocktail: The Martini
A classic dry martini calls for more gin than vermouth, possibly orange bitters, and an olive or lemon twist garnish. Maria Shipakina/Shutterstock
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For such a crystalline-clear cocktail, the martini’s true origin is a bit murky.

The fact is, gin and vermouth mingle together well. A recipe in print from the 1890s shows a ratio of half and half plus four dashes of bitters. But the gin of the time may have been Dutch genever until the sweeter English “Old Tom” variety gained popularity. Plus, the vermouth of the time would’ve been sweet, which is why 20th-century drinkers would specify a “dry” martini to get the dry, lighter-colored vermouth, and by that time the preference for London dry gin was typical.

Kevin Revolinski
Kevin Revolinski
Author
Kevin Revolinski is an avid traveler, craft beer enthusiast, and home-cooking fan. He is the author of 15 books, including “The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey” and his new collection of short stories, “Stealing Away.” He’s based in Madison, Wis., and his website is TheMadTraveler.com
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