01Recipe
Recommended recipe
House spec — an editorial spec drawing on the sourced versions below.
| Ingredient | Measure |
|---|---|
| Gin | 60 ml |
| Dry vermouth | 10 ml |
| Orange bittersoptional | 1 dash |
Total volume (pre-dilution)
6 : 1
- 01
Chill a coupe glass in the freezer.
- 02
Stir gin and vermouth over ice for 20–30 seconds, until properly cold and diluted.
- 03
Strain into the glass. Express lemon peel over the surface and drop it in — or garnish with an olive.
Garnish — Lemon twist · or green olive
02Taste profile
- Sweetness
- 8Faint
- Sourness*
- 0Faint
- Bitterness
- 22Light
- Fruitiness
- 18Faint
- Herbal*
- 28Light
- Alcohol
- 86Intense
- Crisp
- 62Strong
Independent editorial scores, 0–100. *Estimated from the ingredient list — a profile sketch, not a verdict.
03History
The Martini descends from the Martinez — gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino and bitters — recorded in the 1880s and linked to Martinez, California. Through the 1890s the vermouth dried out, the liqueur vanished, and by 1904 the dry Martini had taken its modern form.
The 20th century made it a cultural object: the V-shaped glass, the ritual of the stir, the Churchill mythology of merely glancing at the vermouth bottle. Post-war America pushed it ever drier until the vermouth nearly disappeared; the 1990s revival restored balance.
Today the argument continues — 5:1, 10:1, 50:1 with a whisper — but the structure is settled: chilled gin, measured vermouth, citrus oil. Every variation is a footnote to that ratio.
Explore in the timeline
Origin contested — the entry keeps verified record and received legend distinct.
Sources — IBA Official Cocktails · The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) · Barnabus Conrad, The Martini (1995)
04Recipe versions
Each version is shown exactly as recorded in its source — unverified claims are flagged.
- IBA Official Cocktails
International Bartenders Association · iba-web-current · Official
- Gin60 ml
- Dry Vermouth10 ml
Pour all ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into chilled martini cocktail glass. — Squeeze oil from lemon peel onto the drink, or garnish with a green olives if requested.
- The Savoy Cocktail Book
Harry Craddock · 1930 · Book · unverified
- ½ dry gin
- ¼ French vermouth
- ¼ Italian vermouth
- Dash of orange bitters
Stir with ice, strain. Lemon peel or olive.
The Savoy's 'Medium' martini — wetter than today's spec.
- A Bar at the Folies-Bergère era spec
A Bar at the Folies-Bergère era spec
Contemporary canon · 1950 · Reference · unverified
- Dry Vermouth0.5 oz
Stir, strain, serve 'very cold'.
Pick 2 versions to compare — up to 3 on a wider screen
05Variations
- VariationVesperGin + vodka + Lillet; shaken, from Fleming's Casino Royale→
- VariationGibsonMartini garnished with a cocktail onion→
- VariationDirty MartiniAdds olive brine; colder, saltier→
- Variation50:50Equal parts gin and vermouth — the bartender's Martini→
- Ingredient swapVodka MartiniVodka instead of gin→
06The map
Spirits
People
