
Martinez
The Martinez cocktail is the grandmother of the Martini, emerging sometime in the latter half of the 19th 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:
- Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously.
- Strain through a Hawthorne strainer into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish: orange zest and a maraschino cherry
Where to buy the ingredients:

