Knowing how to make a proper martini should be mandatory for any man, woman and infant. So, we talked to Ethan Kelley of New York’s Brandy Library to get the low down on the world’s most classic cocktail.
Get The Right Glasses
Ethan: “As the old saying about martinis goes: One is too little and three is too many. So be sure to pick up some properly sized glass. A martini glass should never be more than 6 ounces but I find 4.5 ounces to be ideal.”
Empty The Crisper
Ethan: “Some people think refrigerators are for food. Not so. Keep a stash of cocktail glasses (as well as beer glasses and champagne flutes) in the fridge to make sure your glasses are always martini-ready. We all must prioritize.”
To Gin Or Not To Gin
Ethan: “Vodka or gin? This is a very personal choice, and can take some time to decide which brand works best for you. Taste them all over and over again and then one more time. I am certain you will find something that really makes you happy.”
In The Mouth A Desert
Ethan: “Regardless of how dry you drink your martini, vermouth is a required ingredient, even in very small doses. Experiment to find out just how much Vermouth you like to add, Noilly Pratt, an herby French vermouth, makes a terrific asset to any home bar, especially if you know how to use it.”
Do The Twist
Ethan: “As far as I am concerned, olives and lemon twists are the only two acceptable martini garnishes. I ordered a stiff drink not an appetizer. Make sure whichever one you choose is high quality and fresh. A lot of people work very hard to make sure your gin tastes great. Don’t ruin it by using a stale olive.”
Bond, Douche Bond
Ethan: “I shall say this once; stir, stir, stir. For the love of all that is Holy, please stop shaking the flavor out of my gin. The martini is a cocktail whose elegance and power is found in its finesse; don’t kill it by shaking the life out of it.”
Stem The Tide
Ethan: “A full martini glass is the male equivalent of wearing heels. It’s long stem can be tricky to the novice. If you cannot hold it properly or if you look foolish trying to, then get a sippy cup and practice.”
Stop by the Brandy Library the next time you’re in New York and you want a proper martini (or bourbon or scotch or brandy or port or…you get the idea.)
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Do you have any factual info on the popularity of the dirty martini?
Thanks,
Eric
Well, Bond didn’t actually drink martinis. The first ever James Bond book in 1953 was Casino Royal. In the casino Bond orders a drink for himself in the following way. Note he uses gin, vodka and Kina Lillet and so no vermouth in it. I find it interesting that, Fleming/Bond names the brand on two out of three items, but leaves the choice of vodka ‘vague’…..
‘Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?’
‘Certainly, monsieur.’ The barman seemed pleasant with the idea.
‘Gosh that’s certainly a drink,’ said Leiter.
Bond laughed. ‘When I’m … er … concentrating.’ he explained, ‘I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I can think of a good name.’
He watched carefully as the deep glass became frosted with the pale golden drink, slightly aerated by the bruising of the shaker. He reached for it and took a long sip.
‘Excellent,’ he said to the barman, ‘but if you can get a vodka made with grain instead of potatoes, you will find it still better.’
Hi, interesting post. I have been thinking about this topic,so thanks for sharing. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.
come on, gin always… bombay sapphire or tanqueray are the standards for a reason. stir in a mixer or large glass full of ice. your stirring motion should complete 18.5 rotations in the mixer. strain & pour immediately… oh, and only just a dash of vermouth.. straight into the mixer or coat the glass with it before flicking the excess out. enjoy. repeat.
Gotta go with Gin for a proper martini. Plymouth is my personal favorite. For the more adventurous, try Hendrick’s brand of gin. It’s notably different and even comes in an apothecary bottle. There’s a bottle of the stuff in Jack Donaghy’s bar on 30 Rock so it has to be sophisticated.
i take bombay sapphire with some olives…SHAKEN! i don’t care what this fool says.
Oh, there are SO many better gins out there than just the standard lot. They’re fine, but for a really great martini, I second JT there about the Hendrick’s, especially if you’re not a fan of juniper. At the other extreme, try Aviator or Cascade for a blast of the evergreen. As I like my martini a bit on the wet side, vermouth is a key ingredient for me, and experimenting with new & different varieties is my new reason for martini consumption.
Since there doesn’t seem to be too many vodka fans chiming in, I’d like to tell you that you’re all insane. A Kettle One dirty martini up is one of the greatest things on earth. Gin is for guys in Nantucket named Brad who wear salmon color pants.
As always, I agree with Satan. Kettle One, a little dirty, 2 olives.
Belvedere vodka and a capful of vermouth tastes best
Always Gin, always dirty! And please listen to this man, stop shaking martini’s!!! You’ll bruse the gin and it will taste like sh*t!
Shaken, stirred, whatever….”bruse” the gin?? Cut the crap. The key is gettin’ it cold, and shaking does that much better the stirring. “Shaking the flavor out of my gin”??? How the hell does THAT happen? “Bruised” gin??? Those antiquated (but so pithy!) notions are laughed out of any real barkeep’s repertoire. Just ’cause you think it’s cool to say it, don’t make it so….and, by the by, anybody who knows mixology is just laughing and pointing at your attempts at superiority through tired cliche. Shaken, stirred, either is really fine if you get it cold. But, hey, whatever you gotta do to think you’re maintaining your rep!
Also, per vermouth: “coat the inside of the glass…before flicking it out…” Oooooo….how COOL! And ridiculous. True idiots show their true ignorance by bragging about how dry they take their martini: walk it through a room with an open bottle of vermouth….two drops….coat the inside of the glass….BLEHH. The original martini recipe called for a full third of the drink to be vermouth. I’m not saying the recipe hasn’t changed, somewhat for the better, but come on…put you some vermouth in there! Whatcha scared of? Oh, yeah….not be thought of as a cool hipster because you can’t loudly challenge the bartender to make yours “dry” enough….