What's new

The Martini -- B&B Classic Cocktails

FYI, Noilly recently changed its American import recipe for "dry" vermouth to the more European style; less dry than it used to be, and slightly sweeter than Americans have grown to expect. LINK

Thanks for the heads up.

I find Vya over-the-top for a classic Martini. So personally, I must stock up and/or look elsewhere.
 
Who would have thought would have be a 5 pager? Here, I thought that the Martini was falling out of favor. I am glad to see people have this much interest, so glad that I am going to fix myself one right now. :tongue_sm
 
I always put my "clear" liquor in the freezer (vodka and gin).

For a martini, I chill my appropriate stemware in the freezer for a couple hours, add 2 oz. of the super cold gin, then add a touch of vermouth, stir gently, add 2 olives on a toothpick and enjoy an ice-cold delicious martini.

Anybody have any problem with storing vodka and gin in the freezer? Do you feel it affects the liquor flavor?

I haven't noticed any difference and I really enjoy a freezing, throat and tongue numbing cold martini much more than a "regular" cold one.

Gins that I enjoy are the English ones like Boodles, Bombay Sapphire, Beefeaters (occasionally). I don't really like the gins that are heavy on juniper which some of the U.S. domestic ones tend toward.
 
I always put my "clear" liquor in the freezer (vodka and gin).

For a martini, I chill my appropriate stemware in the freezer for a couple hours, add 2 oz. of the super cold gin, then add a touch of vermouth, stir gently, add 2 olives on a toothpick and enjoy an ice-cold delicious martini.

Anybody have any problem with storing vodka and gin in the freezer? Do you feel it affects the liquor flavor?

Shaking or stirring room temp ingredients with ice makes for the true classic Martini, as the ice chills and dilutes the gin at the same time. I have done it your way as well, but it is a different drink done like that.

Cheers!
 
I agree with Don. There is nothing wrong with keeping your gin in the freezer, but the martini needs a fair amount of dilution (by ice) to be at its best. But, if you can take them like that, more power to you.

Tim
 
I couldn't find any Noilly Prat and after reading the article, I'm wondering if I should pick up and extra dry vermouth.

Any thoughts from those who are lover's of Noilly Prat

Since Noilly changed the formula I've gone over to Dolin Dry (not to be confused with Dolin Blanc). Great vermouth, but not easy to find.
 
Shaking or stirring room temp ingredients with ice makes for the true classic Martini, as the ice chills and dilutes the gin at the same time. I have done it your way as well, but it is a different drink done like that.

Cheers!

Absolutely. The water from melting ice during shaking/stirring is actually an important part of the drink. Obviously there isn't much of it, but its effect on taste is real.
 
I took a departure from gin a long time ago and favor "vodka martinis" these days - always with the "Churchill method" for vermouth content. However, I do occasionally have a hankering for a good gin martini. I think I'll stock a bottle soon.
 
I'm enjoying reading this thread, and I see some of the main controversies surrounding the drink have been broached, so I'm going to reserve my opinion on those (gin versus vodka, shaking versus stirring, the correct names for stemware...). I've noticed, however, that nobody has brought up the subject of the truly classic (and, in my opinion, correct) garnish for this drink: the lemon twist. If you're going to be buying top-shelf gin and vermouth (you kangaroo-drinking guys: look away now), please keep those dirty great olives very far away from the drink (from my drink, anyway)!! (although I'm not averse to having a few olives handy to nosh on when a flight of Martinis is being served :lol:)

Here's a link if you'd like to read an interesting discussion on the Martini, written by a guy who's done at least as much research into the subject of classic cocktails as Mr Razor has done into the subject of the Gillette company:
http://drinkboy.com/Articles/Article.aspx?itemid=8
 
I'm enjoying reading this thread, and I see some of the main controversies surrounding the drink have been broached, so I'm going to reserve my opinion on those (gin versus vodka, shaking versus stirring, the correct names for stemware...). I've noticed, however, that nobody has brought up the subject of the truly classic (and, in my opinion, correct) garnish for this drink: the lemon twist. If you're going to be buying top-shelf gin and vermouth (you kangaroo-drinking guys: look away now), please keep those dirty great olives very far away from the drink (from my drink, anyway)!! (although I'm not averse to having a few olives handy to nosh on when a flight of Martinis is being served :lol:)

Here's a link if you'd like to read an interesting discussion on the Martini, written by a guy who's done at least as much research into the subject of classic cocktails as Mr Razor has done into the subject of the Gillette company:
http://drinkboy.com/Articles/Article.aspx?itemid=8

You beat me to it. I really dig the lemon twist with Hendrick's.
 
I took a departure from gin a long time ago and favor "vodka martinis" these days - always with the "Churchill method" for vermouth content. However, I do occasionally have a hankering for a good gin martini. I think I'll stock a bottle soon.


I agree. I totally prefer a vodka martini and will call it a vodka martini til the day I die :001_tt2:. I love it with a lemon zest or jalapeno stuffed olives. The alcohol seems to give the jalapeno a little more burn :ohmy:

I am trying to appreciate gin, and will drink a (gin) martini occasionally, but I still prefer the vodka. I usually have Beefeater, Tangueray, and Bombay Sapphire on hand.\

I always use a shaker as well.
 
Holy thread necromancy Batman! Although it was probably not a bad thread to dig up, I was thinking of starting one dedicated to martinis after the Gin Drinks thread. ;)

Personally, my favorite ratio is 6:1, although sometimes if I'm looking for something dryer I'll do the ice-coating method described in the OP. I always, always stir though. Not because of some hooey about "bruising" the gin, but because I like drink clear but not too cold. Super-cold gin, like super-cold beer or wine, loses some of it's all important aroma.
 
I'll play with the zombie thread

I am trying to appreciate gin, and will drink a (gin) martini occasionally, but I still prefer the vodka. I usually have Beefeater, Tangueray, and Bombay Sapphire on hand.\
If you want a more...delicate gin, go with Hendricks. It's not as bold as a London Dry and it has a lot of interesting things going on inside. Some don't like it, but it's definitely my favorite gin. I used to drink Sapphire, but now it's all Hendricks for martinis.
 
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/...tomy_plus_rosie_schaap_s_martini_and_the.html

Interesting takes on martini recipes

A new way to mix a martini has been shown too, agitating the mix?

I had a nice little "martini tour" of St. Paul last weekend tried some nice gins St. George's Rye Gin, Very very tasty. Too bad the olives and the bar weren't as nice. My favorite Martini of the night was at a place called the Meritage. There barkeep there was very awesome, made a very very good martni with Plymouth and a vermouth that surpassed all martini's I've ever had (mind you that was about the 5th one of the night lol) Not to mention a very nice atmosphere, I'd recommend checking them out if you're in St. Paul.
 
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/...tomy_plus_rosie_schaap_s_martini_and_the.html

Interesting takes on martini recipes

A new way to mix a martini has been shown too, agitating the mix?
...

Funny, I recently started "agitating" my martinis in the shaker, in lieu of more vigorous shaking. Not because of any ideological shift or mixological finickiness, but as an Occam's Razor thing: it gets the job done with less effort. That said, I don't mind a bit of initial cloudiness in my martini -- in fact, I prefer it -- and believe that any difference in the way the drink tastes is 99.999% in the mind. Shaken, stirred, agitated, or stared at across the room, it's a timeless classic and one helluva drink. :001_smile
 
I'll play with the zombie thread


If you want a more...delicate gin, go with Hendricks. It's not as bold as a London Dry and it has a lot of interesting things going on inside. Some don't like it, but it's definitely my favorite gin. I used to drink Sapphire, but now it's all Hendricks for martinis.


Now that you mention it, I have had a martini made with Hendricks and garnished with a cucumber slice, and it was wonderful!
 
How is this the first time I'm encountering Pat's fantastic thread.... well done, sir. :ouch1:

I will confess a preference for what evidently are two sins: using vodka in place of gin and adding a splash of olive brine (I like 'em dirty).
 
Top Bottom