I’ve only recently discovered the allure of a martini, and I have already become quite opinionated as to my preferences. I like my martini dirty and dry, no brine. And gin of course - Tanqueray no10. And then Nouilly Prat Original Dry.
So, how do you like your martini?!
And what is your favourite gin/vodka and vermouth?
It’s always just been a alternate way of asking for a chilled triple vodka shot for me for less than the price of three shots and that’s how I prefer one.
No vodka, ever. Vodka’s just a tasteless way to get hammered. The only reason I’d get a vodka martini is for the rare occasion that I would like a dirty one, bc why waste perfectly good gin if you’re going to ruin it with olive brine… which - at least in my experience - is always added to a dirty martini. What else would make it dirty?
With so many old & new gins to choose from, especially at a bar with a good cocktail program, martinis are the best way for me to try them.
I like mine dry AF, but vermouth should be in there - otherwise you’re just drinking chilled gin.
I didn’t answer your question about twist (lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange), olive, cucumber, or nothing, bc that totally depends on the gin. If you can get your hands on grilled olives - they’ll take your martini game to a whole other level
Favorite gins in no particular order:
The Botanist
The Botanivore
Hendricks Summer Solstice
Opihr
Junipero
Drumshanbo Gunpowder
St. George
Roku
Bluecoat PA
Revivalist PA
Ford’s
Nolet’s
Wild’s PA
Bloedlemoen (not for martinis, but makes a fantastic martinez)
I’m sure I’m forgetting at least 10 others, but that’s what happens when yer a gin head
I’m a Filthy Vodka Martini person. Also, I like my martini to be vodka and to be full of lots of blue cheesed olives and brine. I don’t tend to do a lot of cocktails anyway, but my tastes lean savory for the most part (except for the occasional pina colada).
Learned this from my trip to San Francisco, Tadich Grill. They would have two olives balancing on your glass, so with every sip you’ll get just a slight dose of dirtiness… It’s subtle…
Right. So it’s not a dirty martini. By your definition, adding an olive to a martini makes it a dirty martini (obviously a little brine gets into the gin, from the surface of the olive). Except it doesn’t. It just makes it a martini with an olive garnish.
I like my martini with Aria gin, any French or Italian dry vermouth and two pimento stuffed olives.
Everything must be very cold. I store my gin and my cocktail shaker in my freezer. I store my vermouth and my olives in my refrigerator. I chill my martini glass in the freezer while my husband makes my martini.
Gin. Beefeater but any London dry will do. Dry AF, as Natascha says. M&R vermouth, I don’t like assertive vermouths that change the taste of the gin. Olives or cocktail onions which really makes it a Gibson. Stirred. Truth be told, I prefer gin rocks, I like my gin.
Lately I’ve been liking my martinis 4:1. Pretty standard recipe - in a mixing glass, add a few dashes orange bitters (I use Angostura orange bitters), 2 oz gin, and half an ounce of Dolin dry vermouth. Add ice and stir 40 seconds or so, strain into preferably chilled glass. I usually like it with a lemon twist, expressed over the drink and dropped in, but sometimes I’ll do an olive instead.
