ThirstyforKnowledge

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No. 017 Cocktails · Gin

Dry Martini

Gin and a little dry vermouth stirred until ice-cold, finished with lemon oils or an olive.

A Dry Martini in a V-shaped glass with an olive
A Dry Martini with an olive Photo: Ken30684, CC BY 2.0

Recipe card

ml oz

Makes 1 drink · about 4 min to make

Ingredients

Ounces are US fluid ounces (29.57 ml), rounded.

Method

  1. Pour the gin and vermouth into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes.
  2. Stir well until very cold.
  3. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
  4. Squeeze the oil from a strip of lemon peel over the drink, or garnish with green olives if preferred.
Glass
Martini glass
Garnish
Lemon peel oils squeezed over the drink, or green olives if requested
Technique
Stirred
Difficulty
Takes practice

Printable recipe card Quantities as given in the IBA's official specification.

About the Dry Martini

A Dry Martini is all about temperature and dilution: stir the gin and vermouth over plenty of ice until the mixing glass is frosted, then strain into a glass you have chilled in advance.

The IBA ratio is six parts gin to one part dry vermouth. Lemon oils give a bright, aromatic finish; olives make it more savoury.

Background

The Martinez is widely regarded as the Martini's direct precursor; a vodka martini swaps the gin for vodka.

Tags: stirred aperitif spirit-forward

Go deeper

Sources

  1. IBA — Dry Martini (official specification)
  2. Wikipedia — Martini (cocktail)
  3. Wikipedia — Martinez (cocktail)

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