Classic Cocktail 4

This is a cocktail that can bring a lot of confusion to the table. It can be confused between the original concoction containing gin and vermouth to any cocktail being served in a V-shaped cocktail glass. That, or between being a dry-styled cocktail and an aromatic wine by the brand of Martini. So, let’s set things straight so that you don’t run the risk of getting a dumb-founded look by the bartender who’s about to serve you next time round.

For starters, the word “dry” in the alcohol world means “not sweet”. Martini Dry refers to the vermouth produced in the “secco” (Italian for “dry”) style by the Italian company Martini and Rossi. Dry Martini refers to the cocktail which contains a ratio of 11:1 of gin to dry vermouth, which is about 60ml to 5.5ml, stirred with ice, served straight up in a martini glass, garnished with green olives and maybe a lemon twist.

This crystal-clear cocktail is so prominent in everybody’s mind due to a certain secret service agent – James Bond and his catch phrase, “Shaken, not stirred”. However, if we really research into this, the original gin martini was not Bond’s preferred choice. We will explore further in another article.

The Dry Martini today is such a simple concoction yet it is one of the most demanding for a bartender to make. This is because true martini drinkers proclaim themselves to be connoisseurs and will let you know exactly what they think is right and what is wrong, from the brand of gin used to how many olives should be in the drink.

Nevertheless, when properly prepared (not how Bond likes it), a Dry Martini should have its alcohol sharpness softened by the dilution coming from the ice and still pleasant on the tongue although it is a relatively strong drink. Also, the correct dilution and stir technique will create a liquid texture like what I like to call “thick water”. A properly stirred martini should not have any ice chips in the cocktail. For a variation, substitute the olives for a cocktail onion and it is called a Gibson.

1. Degroff, Dale (2008). The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks