Martinez

The Martinez cocktail is the grandmother of the Martini, emerging sometime in the latter half of the 19^th Century. A riff on the whisky-based Manhattan, it first appeared in print in O.H. Byron’s 1884 The Modern Bartender as a footnote to the more popular whisky cocktail.

Originally the Martinez cocktail called for Dutch genever but for a long time now has been made with London Dry gin. Jerry Thomas’ 1887 Bar-tenders Guide lists Old Tom as the main ingredient.

This recipe uses Thomas’ Old Tom gin which I think gives it a softer more balanced ‘ginny’ profile. I’m also not very fond of the malty genever. But if that is your preference then go for it.

Glass: cocktail

Ingredients:

• 60 ml / 2 oz Old Tom gin
• 15 ml / ½ oz sweet Rosso vermouth
• (for an easy to make home recipe click here)
• 5 ml / 1/6 oz dry vermouth
• 5 ml / 1/6 oz maraschino liqueur
• 1 dash Angostura bitters

Method:

1. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
2. Shake vigorously.
3. Strain through a Hawthorne strainer into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish: orange zest and a maraschino cherry

Where to buy the ingredients: