An under-appreciated classic. I love this drink and can’t believe I haven’t featured it yet!
This cocktail evolved into one of the two or three most-famous of all time: the martini. It’s not very similar, to be honest, so if you’re looking for the dry crispness of that famous drink, this would be the wrong choice. The Martinez is mostly a sweet vermouth concoction thinned with some Old Tom gin. But if you use high-quality ingredients, you’ll find it’s a very pleasurable experience indeed!
I like to combine two types of vermouth for this one — something spicy like Carpano or Cocchi, and something a little mellower like Dolin or Noilly Prat. Toss in some Old Tom, a splash of maraschino, and some aromatic bitters, and you’re good to go.
This article is a modified and enhanced version of a post that ran on my nightly cocktail blog, DrinkShouts.
The Martinez Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Bar spoon
- Cocktail Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 oz. Old Tom Gin Tanqueray Malacca
- 1 oz. Sweet spicy vermouth Carpano Antica
- 1 oz. Mellow sweet vermouth Noilly Prat
- 1 tsp. Maraschino Luxardo
- Dash aromatic bitters Angostura
- Luxardo maraschnio cherry Garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a pint glass over ice and stir thoroughly. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with a Luxardo maraschino cherry.