Recently, numerous articles have touted the comeback of the martini—and by “martini,” I mean the cocktail that has the classic martini as its foundation and that can be altered by straightforward ingredient substitutions.
But did the martini ever really go out of style?
“It did, and it didn’t,” says Kala Ellis, beverage director at the South Carolina–based Indigo Road Hospitality Group, whose 38 restaurants and half-dozen hotels stretch across the Southeast. “The martini as we know it is a far cry from the original.”
For starters, she says, many people today use the word “martini” any time they want a drink served straight up. Even the classic martini moved away from the “silky, traditional” 2:1:2 ratio that its build shared with the Manhattan. “And it transformed,” Ellis says, “into something new—something super boozy and cold.”
As it did so many other aspects of our drinking culture, Prohibition disrupted the martini.
“When we lost the artists of the bar for a time after the Prohibition, we were left with mobsters and teenagers running the drinking world,” Ellis says. “They stopped taking care of their vermouth, so it would go bad. Gin and vodka would intensify that rotten flavor, so guests ultimately wanted little to no vermouth in their drinks. Or they'd cover the flavor with salty, rich olive brine. Thus, the martini never died, but it certainly didn’t taste or look much like its original.”
Lately, variations on the original 2:1:2 martini—or even the 50:50, with equal parts gin and vermouth—have reappeared “in the zeitgeist of bartender favorites,” she says. “But the gospel of the original martini cocktail still needs preaching.”
The martini’s exact origins are unclear, though early recipes for it began appearing in the late 1880s, with the first “dry” versions showing up in recipes around the turn of the century. Its impeccably simple yet sophisticated combination of gin or vodka and vermouth has stood the test of time for well over a century. That enduring charm is further accentuated by its iconic presentation in a stemmed cocktail glass, and by the captivating ritual of shaking or stirring it to perfection. Its association with renowned figures and characters in literature, film, and popular culture also has helped to immortalize it.
So, here is a very brief history of the modern martini, starting with its 1950s resurgence—as told via recipes—and then we’ll get into some of the famous variations, which can be both beloved and polarizing.
Before that, however, this is an excellent time to remind you to put your vermouth in the refrigerator. Vermouth is a fortified wine and should be treated as such. Drink your vermouth within the first month of purchasing, and always refrigerate it after opening.
The Fabulous Fifties
When I think about the martini’s heyday, the 1950s and ’60s come to mind—the three-martini lunch and chain-smoking Mad Men in tailored suits listening to Sinatra. Some make the case that the martini made its considerable comeback in the early 1950s thanks to British author Sir Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.
In this case, the martini in question would be a classic build.
Classic Dry Martini
2 oz Sigil Dry Gin
½ oz Little City Dry Vermouth
1 dash orange bitters
Method: Combine all the ingredients in a mixing glass with cubed ice. Stir well for 30–40 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist or an olive.
Many imbibers are shocked to learn that the classic martini includes orange bitters in the recipe. However, when I make martinis for guests who don’t often drink them, they always ask me what’s so different and delicious about the one I’ve mixed for them. I tell them it’s simple: quality vermouth that fits the profile of the cocktail. Not all dry vermouth is the same.
Then I mention the bitters: Some don’t believe that one dash is enough to affect the flavors—but it certainly does in a cocktail so stripped-down, and the resulting flavor is terrific.
And don’t forget the Vesper.
Another martini variation popularized by Fleming’s novels is named after a Bond beauty. Typically, a cocktail comprised of all spirits without any juice or cream is not to be shaken, only stirred. There are many theories as to why Bond orders this cocktail “shaken, not stirred” in Fleming’s novel. It could be that it’s a powerhouse of liquor—basically a double—so you want that extra dilution and coldness to make it easier to drink.
“I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be very large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad.” – James Bond in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, first published in 1953
Vesper Martini
3 oz Astraea Ocean Gin
1 oz Ritual Vodka
½ oz Lillet Blanc
Method: Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cubed ice. Shake well until the shaker is cold to the touch, then strain into a martini glass. Drape the rim of the glass with a lemon peel and place the peel inside the cocktail.
The Swinging Seventies
The Lemon Drop martini is said to have been invented in the 1970s by Norman Jay Hobday, owner of San Francisco’s famed Henry’s Africa Bar. As the new go-to spirit, vodka replaces gin in the Lemon Drop. It consists of vodka, lemon juice, and Triple Sec shaken and strained into a sugar-rimmed martini glass. Here’s a perfect place to make a variation, with two simple changes to include craft products.
Lemon Drop Variation
2 oz Up North Honey Spirits
½ oz Apologue Saffron Liqueur
½ oz lemon juice
Method: Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cubed ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass with a lemon twist.
That honey spirit from northern Idaho tastes similar to vodka, but it has a nice, warm, rounded flavor with a hint of earthiness and a lovely mouthfeel. Adding more flavor to the base spirits gives the cocktail a nice layering of flavors and texture. The saffron liqueur is a welcome addition. Apologue, a brand from Chicago founded by bar professionals, was created to offer more authentic liqueurs for American bars. The founders wanted to contribute to the supplier side of the industry by introducing unique flavor profiles in response to the demand from many bar professionals. This liqueur doesn't overpower the entire flavor profile, but it adds some interest to the citrus component, resulting in an intriguing cocktail.
Electric Eighties
People continued to create new variations in the 1980s, including the popular French martini. Invented by Dale DeGroff, a well-known bartender and author from New York City, some refer to it as the “king of cocktails.”
The French martini gets two ounces of vodka, a half ounce of Chambord, and one and a half ounces of pineapple juice, all shaken with a lemon twist. This drink demonstrates how simple it is to modify the taste of a classic dry martini while keeping the recipe straightforward. We also have DeGroff to thank for perfecting and popularizing another martini variation, the cosmopolitan.
Classic Cosmopolitan
1½ oz Rhodium Citron Vodka
¾ oz Leopold Bros Orange Liqueur
¾ oz lime juice
¾ oz cranberry cocktail juice
Method: Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cubed ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass with a lime twist.
A well-made cosmopolitan should not be underestimated. Although it may seem like an outdated drink from the ’80s, it can be amazing when prepared properly. Like most cocktails, the key lies in using quality ingredients and accurate measurements. When ordering a cosmo, I usually ask for regular vodka—I’m not a fan of most citron vodkas, which taste to me like chemicals and overpower the entire drink. Therefore, the key ingredients in this cocktail are vodka and orange liqueur. While the original recipe calls for Cointreau, there are other orange liqueurs that enhance the flavors even more.
Rhodium Citron Vodka by Rhode Island Sprits in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, offers fresh, subtle flavors and no chemical-ish aftertaste. Its lovely texture provides an excellent base for this cocktail.
The orange liqueur from Leopold Bros Distillery in Denver showcases the same commitment to excellence and quality found in their whiskey. It is crafted with orange peels from two varieties of Mediterranean oranges and a touch of Belgian candi sugar, resulting in a “dry liqueur with a confectioner’s finish.” This ingredient takes the cosmo over the edge to a very happy place.
The Nineties and Beyond
The espresso martini may have been invented in the 1980s by London bartender Dick Bradsell but it wasn’t until the 1990s that it gained popularity. It seemed to fade into the background in the early 2000s as craft cocktails began to boom. Today, it’s considered a celebrity among cocktails.
Espresso Martini Variation
1 oz Ringleader Vodka
1 oz Brother Justus Coffee Liqueur
¾ oz orange liqueur
¾ oz fresh, chilled espresso
1 dash aromatic bitters
Method: Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cubed ice. Shake well until the shaker is cold to the touch, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with dark chocolate shavings.
In the early 2000s, drinks were starting to set the stage for the coming cocktail boom. The Porn Star martini is an excellent example of a cocktail that’s stood the test of time. It may be a stretch to call it a variation of a martini; there’s little left in it that resembles the original. This cocktail’s original name was the maverick martini—a much better name—invented in Cape Town, South Africa. Bartender and author Douglas Ankrah took it to London and gave it the controversial name that made it famous.
Porn Star Martini
2 oz vanilla vodka
½ oz passion fruit liqueur
½ oz passion fruit juice (or puree)
½ oz vanilla simple syrup
½ oz lime juice
2 oz brut champagne or sparkling wine
Method: Combine all the ingredients except the champagne in a cocktail shaker with cubed ice. Shake well and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a slice of passion fruit and serve with a sidecar of champagne. Regarding the champagne, most experts agree that the cocktail is best served with a “choose your own adventure” attitude. Drink the champagne before the cocktail, pour it on top of the cocktail as a float, or alternate sips.
I have tasted some phenomenal craft vanilla vodkas and will always prefer to use a well-crafted vodka with real ingredients. However, if you can’t find a good one, you can add cracked vanilla beans to your favorite vodka. Crack one or two vanilla beans and place the beans inside a bottle of vodka for about a week. Strain them out before too much longer, as the vanilla will become too intense.
Finding a good passion fruit liqueur can be challenging. Passoã is typically the go-to for passion fruit liqueurs. I strive to purchase craft spirits whenever possible, so I always search for replacements for major brands’ spirits. So here is an alternate option to consider: Nix the vanilla vodka and use a non-flavored vodka, changing the measurements to 2.5 ounces of vodka. Then, make a vanilla-and-passion fruit simple syrup with leftover passion fruit juice or puree, increasing the simple syrup measurement to one ounce. This alteration will give you a very similar profile.
Is It Really a Martini?
Purists argue that removing the vermouth and adding other components, such as liqueurs or juice, means that the drink is no longer a martini. I enjoy experimenting with drinks and don't mind changing a cocktail completely. However, in this case, I agree with the purists.
So, where do you draw the line? When does a drink stop being a martini and become just a cocktail?
Who cares? If folks are into saying “martini,” let’s give ’em what they want. When a cocktail makes a comeback, it means there is a demand for the spirits included in the recipe—and for distillers, that’s a good thing.
Studying the history of the martini and understanding its place in our cocktail culture is crucial for spirit producers. As the demand for all kinds of martinis grows, so does the interest in the classic. This iconic cocktail requires expertly crafted spirits, as there’s no room for poorly made ones to hide. It is also an excellent opportunity for spirit producers to showcase their point of view in the base spirit or vermouth.
Elegance in Riffs
One of the most elegant riffs on a classic martini comes from the legendary Michael McIlroy of Temple Bar in Manhattan. McIlroy invented a modern answer to the dirty martini with his salt & pepper martini. Its spicy and savory profile has won the hearts of cocktail enthusiasts far and wide. The build of this cocktail is an incredible example of a mixologist truly understanding flavors and chemistry.
Salt & Pepper Martini
2 oz St. George Dry Rye Gin
½ oz Manzanilla Sherry
½ oz Brovo Pretty Blanc Vermouth
¼ oz chile liqueur or a chile simple syrup
8 dashes celery bitters
2–3 drops saline
1 Sweety Drop pepper
Method: Add all the ingredients except the pepper to a mixing glass with cubed ice and stir well. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with the pepper.
The liqueur in this cocktail is a critical ingredient. You can purchase Giffard’s Piment d’Espelette (chile liqueur)—or make your own syrup with piment d’espelette, a red chile pepper powder from France that is easy to procure. The original recipe calls for a London dry gin. Any dry gin will do, and the addition of the rye gin from Alameda, California, elevates the sherry and creates a chef’s kiss of flavor convergence. The vermouth is another potential pitfall—blanc vermouth is not dry vermouth. Blanc vermouth—or vermouth bianco, or white vermouth—is a sweeter white vermouth.
Beyond the established profiles, craft distillers are putting a multitude of flavors into craft gins, vodkas, and liqueurs. Imagine introducing new flavors into a classic martini using a gin infused with seaweed, or distilled from a honey base, or by using vermouth with a profile showcasing a completely different landscape than traditional wine regions. What kind of martini variation might result from using a liqueur made in the desert of New Mexico, a pine liqueur handcrafted in Northern Idaho, or a coffee liqueur crafted in Minnesota? Or you could even swap out vodka or gin for an American-made aquavit.
The martini resurgence is an excellent time for craft producers to showcase the uniqueness of their products and the individual nature of their flavors, gifting American consumers with variety like never before. It is an exciting time for consumers to enjoy the bounties of the craftsmanship that goes into spirit-making at its finest.