How to Make the Perfect Martini

This article was ridiculous. It seems snobby. For example, how does wearing jeans make an otherwise perfect martini non-perfect? There’s a line to be drawn between becoming a better man and becoming someone you’re not. If you like Martinis but don’t like Frank Sinatra that’s fine. Being a man also entails being yourself and does not necessarily travelling backward through time to the ’50s. The Martini is timeless and goes well with any dress and any music. Also a Vodka Martini is still a Martini… hence the name. “Case Closed.”

2 things, vodka does not a martini make, so right on there. and second YOU CANNOT BRUISE GIN, its booze, not fruit.

I didn’t find the article snobby-I thought the guy was just having some fun with it. Some people need to lighten up.

Also, my friend is a bartender and I know he’s talked about bruising the alcohol before.

@Ryan This was a recipe for a traditional martini. The real deal. A classic martini uses gin and vermouth, just as the author said. A Vodkatini is not a traditional martini. It’s like saying an apple martini is still a martini. It’s not. Case closed.

in re “bruising the gin.” Some argue that when you shake the drink, you actually can change the flavor of the gin because of air bubbles or what not. Hence they use the phrase “bruise the gin.” It’s probably a poor choice of words, but I think it gets the point across. Whether shaking the gin actually changes the flavor is really up for debate and the opinions will vary with every tongue. So, I don’t fault the author for using the phrase. It’s been thrown around for decades.

Bravo to the author! This was a fun article to read. It made me want to go to a swanky club and listen to some crooners and throw some craps with a good looking gal on my arm. Ring-a-ding!

Loved the article. …and the subtle humor that has escaped so many readers.

While I don’t necessarily agree with all the rules (I like the pimentos), I respect a man with strong convictions about his martinis. It is a noble drink, which has suffered more than its share of perversions.

Okay I love some of the points you made. Gin is the only acceptable option otherwise it is not a martini. Do not shake, PERFECT!

I will take this a step further and offer a few suggestions.

Vermouth, please specify dry, my first Martini was made with sweet. Never again. (I also think a cap full is too much).

Also while I appreciate the feel you were going for a poor reader may read this and leave their martini on ice too long, nothing is worse than a watered down martini.

Seriously though great article and I would love when I can order a martini and get this with out making it sound like I’m being a tool with all the side notes on how to make it right.

And you can indeed bruise gin. Make this drink and then try again shaking vigoursly pour and see the difference!

The truly “Classic” 1950s martini will have a dash of bitters before the garnish is added. Give it a try.

(Source: “Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails” by Ted Haigh)

So you can’t bruise gin. Who cares? You all can pat yourself on the back now for pointing out a frivolity.

This article was great. Fun and informative. And I agree: if you’re drinking a martini with goldfish crackers, you’re disrespecting the drink.

For the record you can bruise and cloud gin, it will come out looking like milk. This is not a martini that discerning tastes will tip for. Shaking or stirring airrates the gin and it will taste different. What you want is about 2.5 or so oz of liquid, stirred with ice to cool it, strained into the martini glass. And given your tastes, the drink should be mostly Gin…I know bartenders who perfect their martini who only rinse the glass with vermouth, or only add a few drops before mixing it. Classic martini, Derek is right… odd number of olives. It’s traditional that way for some reason.

Martinis are a discerning drink that have a lot of fun in the ritual of making them. It’s like anything else, though, find what you and your friends like and serve that.

Great article!

I loved reading this.

Mixing and drinking a Martini is about decompression. It’s a gentleman’s “me” time, akin to a bubble bath for ladies. Just as my wife has her preferred bath salts, I have my preferred gin. I mix my Martinis with New Amsterdam gin and garnish with three olives. I don’t mean to plug a gin, it’s just that consistency is important.

For you vodka lovers out there, please do not be get so defensive about the idea that Martinis are showcases for gin, not vodka, or anything else for that matter. The simple truth is that the Martini was originally a gin drink. Vodka in a cocktail glass is still a perfectly legitimate drink, but it’s not a Martini.

If you mix rye and vermouth in a cocktail glass and garnish with an olive, do you call it a whiskey Martini? No. It’s a dry Manhattan.

Mr. Cook, I would like to challenge one idea, which may help end this confusion over what is a Martini: there is no such thing as a martini glass — they are cocktail glasses. The Martini is one of many cocktails appropriate for a cocktail glass. People call them Martini glasses only because of the whatever-you-want-to-call-it-’tini craze.

Greg A.

If you have to spell out to a bartender how to make a proper Martni, you’re in the wrong bar.

The standard request of: “I’d like a Sapphire Martini with three olives, please,” should be all it takes. Of course, feel free to specify your gin preference.

One other suggestion: use quality gin. The Martini is truly about showcasing the spirit. Find the gin you like and stick with it. But leave the rail gins for gin & tonic or another gin-and-mixer drink.

Thank you, this post was very entertaining. I’ve never really enjoyed a good dry martini, but maybe this recipe will change my mind.

And of course you should at least be in a suit when drinking fine things like these. There’s more than just taste when it comes to pleasure. Make the most of it.

This is horrible. I am a drink snob, but even I won’t go so far as to say the clothing you wear when you drink changes it. So what if I want to wear jeans???

And While this may be a traditional martini, that doesn’t mean that a vodka martini isn’t a martini. That’s as ridiculious as saying cars with airbags aren’t cars because that’s not how they were traditionally made.

Terrible article.

“Martini” is the latest in a line of drink names that have been diluted to mean things they’re not. While it’s nice to see someone hammer home the point about gin + vermouth, if one wanted to truly go traditional, then a proper amount of vermouth would be warranted. This movement from The Martini to The Churchill Martini is amusing to me. I’m glad to see someone pointed out the use of bitters (though I would go further and suggest specifically orange bitters).

(To further my quibble, here’s how I would make a dry martini: I would fill a cocktail glass with water and ice and stick it in the freezer. Then, I would grab the gin and a cobbler shaker from my liquor cabinet, and the dry vermouth from the refrigerator. I would fill the shaker with ice (preferably cracked ice if I have it). I would pour in 1/2 oz of the dry vermouth and 3 oz of the gin. (Optionally, I might throw in a dash or two of orange bitters.) Then, I would stir for 20 to 30 seconds (about when the shaker starts frosting on the outside). I would take the cocktail glass out of the freezer, dump it out, shake it dry, and then strain the mix into the glass. Garnish with 1 or 3 olives or a lemon twist.)

And as a parting thought, in addition to maintaining that “martini” refer to a specific drink instead of a specific glass, let’s also work to bring the following terms back into the common mixed drink lexicon: cobbler, cooler, fizz, flip, rickey, sangaree, shrub, sling, swizzle, etc.

I agree on so many accounts. This article, among other things, introduces the recognition that the art of relaxation is one of the intergral parts of the art of manliness. Learning to relax like a gentleman and not a slob is a true testament to a mans degree of manliness. Regardless of the jeans or coat that you are wearing, the idea is to promote a classy and manly individual experience with comfort and joy.
speaking of which, I do not like gin much. I prefer bourbon and manhattans. most of the steps are the same (upto and including the fine music and beautiful lady to accompany a fine libation) with exception to the vermouth. in this case it must be sweet vermouth and there is no other garnish than a cherry.
as for the bruising… those before us know many a great thing and some things are not worth arguing about.
Good drinking ladies and gentlemen!

This is kin to discussing religion and politics, you will get an argument. It is a faith. The perfect martini is in the eye of the beholder. I however like the tone of the article it was humorous. One dresses for church then one should dress appropriately for a martini, its showing respect. Very tongue and cheek by the author.

I will add only 3 things. #1 A vodka martini isn’t A “martini” it is A “vodka martini”. Splitting hairs I know but we are talking martini theology after all. #2 The correct Gin for a martini is Plymouth. And lastly, #3 Don’t mistake a “Traditional” martini with an “Original” martini, so if you speak of being a purest then don’t confuse the two. The dry Martini is a relatively new concoction, I prefer an original Martini which in case you don’t know was with sweet vermouth… just a touch. It’s like I said above about vodka martinis, they are just that. A “Dry Martini” is just that, but don’t call it a “Martini”! I have spoken and am standing by for the inevitable martini arguments!

I’m of the humble opinion that the perfect martini is when you take a capful of vermouth – wave it over top of the pitcher of ice – throw it away – add gin. That’s dry….

Bravo to the author! This was a fun article to read. It made me want to go to a swanky club and listen to some crooners and throw some craps with a good looking gal on my arm. Ring-a-ding!”

Now THERE’S a gent who actually underSTOOD the article!

The Martini is the most highly debated cocktail in history. There are two things I disagree with in this article. First, in the cocktail world, anything “Perfect” is a drink that has vermouth in it using equal parts sweet (red) and dry (white) vermouth. So calling this the “Perfect Martini” is inherently wrong. I understand that you meant “The Right Way to Make a Martini”.

About “bruising the gin”. This is a great argument as well. To shake or to stir? Gin is infused with botanicals during the distillation process, causing the gin to pick up oils. When you stir, some of the oils are broken up and their flavor is released. But when you shake, all of the oils are broken up and tiny air bubbles are created. The two drinks, made completely the same except for shaking or stirring, will taste different. The stirred drink will be more subtle, and the shaken drink will knock you in the face with the floral bouquet of the gin you used. This is a matter of taste and there is no right or wrong way. I would say that “bruising the gin” is a misnomer, because you associate “bruising” with hurting or ruining something. Really, you’re just “activating” the oils.

Mythbusters did an episode on this, doing a blind taste test. Every person, with varying degrees of palate sensitivity, could tell which was which.

Other than that, I love the tone of this article. Vodka does NOT belong in a Martini. It’s a Vodkatini, or in some countries, a “Kangaroo”. Just because the drink comes in a cocktail glass that a Martini comes in doesn’t make it a Martini.

BTW, I’ve got an article on 5 classic cocktails every man should know coming up on this site real soon, so be on the look out!

Great article. Great humor. Awesome subtlety. Makes me want to head out to a joint.

I won’t touch gin – I won’t drink something that smells almost exactly like pine cleanser.
I do enjoy the occasional vodka martini though.

Seconding the vodka and gin is a “Kangaroo.”

I prefer orange instead of the lemon though.

Being a man means being comfortable drinking whatever you damn well want to drink, without being told by some self-described “expert”. Never Vodka in a Martini? Seems I remeber James Bond being a man. And really… if you feel the need to change your clothes to enjoy a cocktail you’re still a boy playing “dress up”.

Thanks for this wonderful dissertation on the classic martini. I like mine dirty, of course, that splash of olive is just what I need to end my day. :)

I agree completely with the author’s assertion that vodka does not make a martini. Vodka makes a Vodka Martini which looks like a martini but in fact is not one.

My only quibble is that he left out the world’s greatest authority on cocktails when he discussed stirring and/or shaking. William Powell as Nic Charles in The Thin Man says:

“The important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you shake to fox-trot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a dry martini you always shake to waltz time. “

@Charlie on May 5th, 2009 5:05 am

I too love the combination Pint + Shot, which is commonly referred to as a Boilermaker.

As well as a good Dirty Martini and Vodka Gibson.
JD on the rocks? These days I have been taken by Bulleit Bourbon on the rocks. High on rye, no phenol alcohol.

To each his own, eh Charlie?

The article is spectacular. I prefer my martinis with Vodka, I guess my Russian herritage forces me to take that stand. I do like my saphire as well. But as, I believe Winston Chirchill said of his martinis, just a glance at the vermouth was acceptable, in acknowlegement of the queen or something of that sort.

Also, I tend to make mine somewhat larger. Take the bottle of Kettle One, or Saphire, a large shaker, filled with ice. Turn the bottle upside down, count to 4, maybe 5 depends on how fast you count. Sake, stir, swirl, really it matters not, the booze tends to breath better when you shake, just like the head on a freashly poured glass of beer. Let sit about 30 seconds, add olives, no lemon beels, the only drink worthy of a lemon peel is a rob roy. Find a good sized martini glass and proceed at your own risk.

Good luck to all the snoobs who debate gin or vodka, just enjopy your martini in the company of good people and all is right with the world.

I used to keep my gin in the freezer, too, but now I appreciate that water (from the ice) is a critical part of a good martini. Gin should be stored at room temperature; put the pitcher in the freezer if you want to keep something ice-cold. Vermouth can be stored in the fridge, or sealed with one of the vaccuum-sealing devices they sell for wine.

And, of course, it has to be dry vermouth. Noilly Prat is my brand, in the newly-restored classic formulation. “Perfect” martini is in fact a misnomer, as the word perfect refers to a cocktail made with half dry and half sweet vermouth. Not that that isn’t a very intersting drink and worth trying.

The “capful to three ounces” would be fine, about 8 to 1, I guess, except for the part about pouring out the vermouth as soon as it’s coated the ice cubes. What on earth is the point of that supposed to be? You want six drops of vermouth in the drink, put six drops of vermouth in it. But I think that kind of misses the point. I have found through much experimentation that 3:1 or maybe 4:1 is ideal for me. I have never understood the way people make such a show of how little vermouth they use. Vermouth is wonderful! Have some on the rocks with a lemon twist sometime. Great before dinner.

Striing yields a drink that’s smooth, rich and oily. Shaking produces one that is crisp, light and bracing. Both wonderful, although I prefer shaking. The only way to find your favorite is to test them both.

Actually, the gin should be room temperature. One wants the ice to melt slightly to take the pure-alcohol edge off the cocktail.

Strike one: “Ice. Lot’s of it.”
Strike two: “On to the gin, which should be kept in the freezer.”
Strike three: “Mount up two olives.”

1. Lose the extraneous apostrophe. 2. Realize that Gin is an aromatic, and should be kept at room temperature. 3. There should always be an odd number of olives. One’s not enough. Three is perfect.

Alex is an idiot.. you CAN bruise a martini.. when you shake it it oxygenates it and ruins the flavor..

Server em dry.. and rinse the brine off the olives.. that’s the key to a TRUE martini!

While I acknowledge this author’s attempts at humor, he has nonetheless gotten a lot wrong.

First, do not store martini-making gin in a freezer. Keep it in the liquor cabinet. For a well-balanced martini, it is essential that you get some ice melted into water, and this won’t happen with ice-cold gin.

Second, for a properly-balanced martini, you need some dry vermouth. Noilly Prat is the classic choice. More than a capful—not just enough to coat the ice or the glass. And do not dispense with “excess.”

Third, you need lots of fresh clean ice. Fill the shaker at least two-thirds full.

Lastly for the truly ultimate martini you need some orange bitters. Most pre-Prohibitiion cocktails contained bitters, and the martini is no exception. A dash or two will do.

What the article got right:
1. Keep those glasses in the freezer! This is essential. Once the thing is mixed, you want to keep the drink as ice-cold as possible, so don’t immediately ruin things by pouring it into a room-temperature glass.

2. Swirl or stir copiously, but do not shake. Shaking won’t ruin a martini, but it won’t taste as good, and will look stupid. For a cleaner martini (both visually as far as flavor) swirl or stir, or close up the shaker and tip it side to side for a minute or so.

3. Keep your vermouth in the fridge. It will keep longer.

I used to be one of those who made my martinis with frozen gin and a whisper of vermouth too. What you get there is a harsh glass of cold gin. It may please you (as it did me) to challenge yourself with such a forbidding concoction, but it is not a proper cocktail. For that, you need multiple ingredients in the right proportion blended with care (melted ice is essential!).

So, what have we learned? Grab some room-temperature Bombay Sapphire. Pour it (5 parts) into a shaker mostly filled with ice. Get the Noilly Prat from the fridge. Pour some (1 part) into the shaker. Then add a couple shakes of orange bitters. Close the shaker, and rock the thing side to side until it gets super cold–give it enough time to blend really well. Strain into well-chilled cocktail glasses with your choice of “garnish” (I opt for a lemon twist (or nothing, in a pinch)). As long is you are in the mood for a bracing powerful savoury drink, this will not disappoint. Have some salty nibbles handy and you’re good to go.

And it needn’t be drunk in the company of a woman at all, beautiful or otherwise. A man will do very well should you prefer. Just ask Cary Grant.

Wow, countless comments for a receipt of a traditional Martini.

Well guys i guess for all those maybe semi professional bar tenders its all up to the old saying.
Music, wine, woman and now Martini, your own taste will be the decision maker. And if you like it with peas so you swallow them…… :-)

“case closed”

To the people who say it can’t be,…..Gin can be bruised. Any alcohol can. It’s just a fancy way of saying that your introducing oxygen into the gin by shaking it vigorously with ice cubes acting as a tumbler.
Most good gins are infused with an array of herbs and flavors when they are created. In order to unlock those flavors, you need to shake it up. It’s the same as adding a splash of water to scotch to open up the “bouquet” of flavors. The water is just acting as an agitator without adding to the flavor. Also, our tongues require O2 in order to taste things. The more O2 in your mouth when drinking, the more intense the flavor.
My guess is that nostalgia is the main reason many traditionalist prefer the flavor brought on by stirring (that’s how they remember it tasting back in the day, so it MUST be the right way). Bottom line, if you want a cocktail with flavor that’s 3-dimensional instead of just two, take it shaken, not stirred.

The recipe looks fabulous and inspires me to become a martini aficionado. I may give up single malts in favor of the mysterious martini… just to enjoy the perfect martini with my beautiful, delightful gal!

Fascinating article and discussion.
I was a vokda/tonic drinker for years, when someone served me a martini, which I immediately took to. I was ignorant, I know, so I began making mine with Stolly (vodka). If someone wants to make a big deal about the vokda vs. gin brouhaha, then fine, you win: a “real” martini has gin. I get it. But, drinks change over time, and I defend the vodka as being just as legit. The key is what spirit YOU like.

If we were purists about drinking milk, then we’d be only drinking milk from the tits of a cow in our back yard, like the pioneers used to do. Now we have other ingredients that keep it pure, and it is still milk.

So, enjoy your martini the way you like-vodka or gin.

Lastly: I have also followed the rule of “only odd numbers” of olives. I usually do 5, and I once threatened to a lady that I might well go for 7 if she invited me over. We never got together.

I suspect, though, that too many olives does degrade the taste, and mine have been essentially “dirty” martinis anyway, which is a whole other discussion!

O.k., tonight it will be gin, and I’m following this article to a T.

Party on guys!

this man in my idol in the world, someone who actually has some class and believes in a time of tranquility and relaxation where getting completely drunk is not the priority of the night.

A martini should be made with three ingredients: gin, vermouth, and olives (1-3, depending on you taste) in a cocktail glass.

3 parts gin (preferably Godon’s), one part vermouth, and one olive. The traditional method of preparation is to pour gin and dry vermouth into a mixing glass with ice cubes, stir, strain into chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with a green olive.

If vermouth is not handy, the brine from the olives is a good substitute.

I think by reading over the comments we basically get it right.

It is a preference drink as to how dry it is, this is up to you to experiment on. It does however have to fall into certain peramenters otherwise it is not a martini…I think the author covered this fairly well.

-I’ll weigh in on the vodka issue….its a vodkatini, a drink in its own right, not a martini. I’m not sure why this ever seems a problem to some.

- Some have expressed a preference for Plymouth gin and I have to say i agree with this. Greenalls London dry works well too. I would NEVER use Bombay Sapphire as it is far too botanical, leave it for your perfect G&T.
I the bar industry it ‘sapphire’ makes you out as an unsophisticated martini drinker…it also has the advantage of predicting you will get a poor martini while out if the bartender reaches for sapphire…he’ll most likely get the delicate mix wrong…move on…or just avoid hotel bars in the first place.

- The ‘bruising’ argument is strange (we find it in the world of single malts and ice v water etc debate too).
I think the culprit is the word as we think different things when we hear it. I like to think of it as being a bit harsh or rough on the drink, I neither find that good or bad, its a preference…however we can all agree it does make a difference to taste.

- Room temperature gin. Chilled Noilly Prat

- Odd number olives…this is tradition and I like tradition, however I think you can be somewhat of a racontour. If you have style and can sell it like Sinatra then why not…a bit of individuality never hurt…its a connoisseurs drink and ‘owning’ your preference within its strict guidelines is the act of a confident man of understanding.

- Along those lines I understand the authors point re a suit and Sinatra. Im not going to say wearing jeans is out however…each to their own I say, but atmosphere is important…its a human trait. You will never have a better martini than the perfect one in a setting of style and sophistication that compliments this drink.

- I personally like to ice the glass and deposit the vermouth in there…the timing of the time its left there before its swirled and emptied is all part of the art and makes an enormous difference to the drink. As does the time the gin is left over ice and stirred before the two ingredients are married.

This is the art…this is what makes a great martini maker over a man who mixes gin and vermouth…its wonder and its standing as the greatest of all cocktails comes from the opposing facts that it is so beautifully simple YET getting it perfect is one of the most subtle and difficult and complicated things in the world.
There is NO hiding a bad martini behind some sugary syrup or fruit pulp.

Lastly a note about ice…its been covered here, ALWAYS fresh ice.
A point that maybe hasn’t been covered though is to be very careful chilling your glass in the freezer. A chilled glass is essential but be careful it doesn’t pick up the odours of food and freezer burn from your freezer.

To all the lovers of this fine drink out there…get out there and find your own preference, revel in it. The best thing about it is that you get to drink a lot of martinis whilst finding the perfect one for you.

Get the basics straight, understand the rules (and bend a few if you must) and accept no substitute. The man with a perfect martini is a man who knows himself…no questions.

Five parts Gordon’s, one part sweet vermouth, one part dry vermouth. Half a shaker of ice. Combine, waltz until iced over, strain into frozen cocktail glass. Three olives.

I didn’t ask for a Churchill, I asked for a *martini*. Get it right.