Martinis: Shaken or Stirred?

Doug57 said:

We had martinis tonight. The LOTH just got her boot off today, 12 weeks after a broken leg/ankle. She had a Ketel One with dry vermouth swirled in a chilled glass, shaken, not stirred. I had a Bombay Sapphire martini, stirred, not shaken, with 1/2 oz. dry vermouth. Three oiives each. Perfect!

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And the world didn't end! Congratulations!

TexLaw said:

And the world didn't end! Congratulations!

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Heh! She loves the ice crystals that form on a shaken vodka martini and I love the flavors of a stirred gin martini. It was a perfect start to the evening.

TexLaw said:

And the world didn't end! Congratulations!

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+1

Shaken, not stirred.
I like my martini to be cold and cloudy.

ciderguy said:

Stirred. I can't stand the little chips of ice that end up on a top of a shaken drink diluting the first sip.

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Ha - exactly the reason I *do* like my Bombay Sapphire martini shaken; I love the little ice chips

Tim_McD said:

Ha - exactly the reason I *do* like my Bombay Sapphire martini shaken; I love the little ice chips

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That really seems to be what makes the difference--the ice chips. Those who want them want a shaken martini. Those who don't want it stirred.

A stirred martini can (and should) be just as cold as a shaken one. The problem is that many bartenders do not stir enough. Many think that a few times around is good enough, and it most certainly isn't. Even some of the best bartenders I know do not stir enough. One told me that he was taught in bartending school that it should be stirred eighteen times--no more, no less.

That still likely is not enough. I stir mine for about a minute and a half, give or take. As I mentioned somewhere, I'll stop once the "shaker" is frosted and nearly impossible to hold and the aromatics have bloomed (i.e., I can smell them come up from the drink). The whole idea came from an issue of Cook's Illustrated, where they stirred martinis for different lengths of time up to two minutes. Their taste panelists tended to prefer the longer stirs. I gave that a try and was immediately sold. The flavor and aroma were so much more pronounced and interesting, I could not go back to just a few stirs.

I expect that the extended stirring makes a much greater difference with a gin martini, rather than a vodka one. If you've not stirred for a good while, give it a try. Very likely, you'll find it worth a minute (or so) of your time.

TexLaw said:

The problem is that many bartenders do not stir enough. Many think that a few times around is good enough, and it most certainly isn't. Even some of the best bartenders I know do not stir enough. One told me that he was taught in bartending school that it should be stirred eighteen times--no more, no less.

That still likely is not enough. I stir mine for about a minute and a half, give or take. As I mentioned somewhere, I'll stop once the "shaker" is frosted and nearly impossible to hold and the aromatics have bloomed (i.e., I can smell them come up from the drink). The whole idea came from an issue of Cook's Illustrated, where they stirred martinis for different lengths of time up to two minutes. Their taste panelists tended to prefer the longer stirs. I gave that a try and was immediately sold. The flavor and aroma were so much more pronounced and interesting, I could not go back to just a few stirs.

I expect that the extended stirring makes a much greater difference with a gin martini, rather than a vodka one. If you've not stirred for a good while, give it a try. Very likely, you'll find it worth a minute (or so) of your time.

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I agree, they do need to be stirred for quite a good bit. A real martini has gin. A vodka & vermouth cocktail is a Kangaroo cocktail.

I completely agree with the gentleman conducting your tasting. However some still like shaken martinis and manhattans and it's all a matter of taste. Personally I find shaking shears the ice and dilutes the drink too much.

ciderguy said:

A vodka & vermouth cocktail is a Kangaroo cocktail.

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That's so very true, but nobody calls it by that name. That's a bit of a shame, too. I strongly believe that different drinks (or dishes or what have you) should have different names. It's more fun that way.

Dirty vodka martini. Shaken. NO vermouth!

I had one with Bombay gin last weekend, wasn't too bad. I still prefer vodka though. There is a place in town that makes vodka from apples, let me tell you it blows away every commercially available vodka I've had. Its smooth, finishes sweet, and I can drink it neat!

Stirred is the way to go, definitely with martinis, although I do understand that shaking is more useful for the more complex cocktails that one can find. With a martini, though, I think that stirring it not only leaves it clear, but also without loads of ice chips (as someone mentioned) that can water it down very soon.

I have had them both ways. I prefer them shaken because, as others have said, shaking makes for a colder martini. However, I feel if I ask for it that way the bartender (at least in his mind) is going to roll his eyes at me. Of course, I may drink one or two martinis a year.

Rhombic said:

Stirred is the way to go, definitely with martinis, although I do understand that shaking is more useful for the more complex cocktails that one can find. With a martini, though, I think that stirring it not only leaves it clear, but also without loads of ice chips (as someone mentioned) that can water it down very soon.

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+1

Around here anything poured into a martini glass is now called a martini. Disgusting. Gin and only gin is used in a martini, vermouth to taste. I like Churchill's recipe:

Fill a pitcher with good gin and ice, glance at a bottle of vermouth across the room, careful not to glance too long, stir, strain and serve.

I used to stirr my Martinis and Manhattans in a mixing glass until I saw my favorite bartender in Carmel make me a Martini his way. Now I use my shaker, but only swirl the cocktail (along with the ice) and, maybe shake very gently. Then strain into a cocktail glass or coupe.

I do not shake vigorously like one would for a Margarita or other juice containing cocktail.

oc_in_fw said:

I have had them both ways. I prefer them shaken because, as others have said, shaking makes for a colder martini.

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You're not stirring long enough, man. I stir until I can barely hold the dadgum mixer. [emoji2]

BlackBard said:

I used to stirr my Martinis and Manhattans in a mixing glass until I saw my favorite bartender in Carmel make me a Martini his way. Now I use my shaker, but only swirl the cocktail (along with the ice) and, maybe shake very gently. Then strain into a cocktail glass or coupe.

I do not shake vigorously like one would for a Margarita or other juice containing cocktail.

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I used to swirl mine, as well, but I got into stirring.

Shaken and let sit before pouring for about 3 minutes to let it get super cold.

TexLaw said:

You're not stirring long enough, man. I stir until I can barely hold the dadgum mixer. [emoji2]

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This works for Manhattans and Negronis as well!!

ackvil said:

...the Martini was the best part of the evening. Now I have to find a place that sells Dolin Dry Vermouth.

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My discovering Dolin was life-changing, and nowadays I use nothing else. I used to think that I could never enjoy a Martini with more than just a few drops of Vermouth, but not anymore. I would encourage everyone to try using Dolin and then to increase the ratio of Vermouth slowly over time. I think many would be genuinely and pleasantly surprised with the result. I've also begun using Dolin in Manhattans and it's made a world of difference in them also. Dolin is more expensive, of course, but you really do get what you pay for when it comes to this.