Martinez
Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, a little maraschino and bitters. The rich, rounded forerunner of the Martini.
- MethodStirred
- GlassCoupe
- IceNone (served up)
- Strengthabout 20.8% ABV
- BaseGin
- Tastesweet, strong, herbal
Recipe
| 45 ml 1½ oz | Old Tom gin |
| 45 ml 1½ oz | Sweet (red) vermouth |
| 1 barspoon | Maraschino liqueur |
| 2 dashes | Orange bitters or Aromatic bitters (Angostura-style) |
Garnish. A piece of orange or lemon peel, squeezed over the surface and dropped in.
Method
- Chill a coupe.
- Put all the ingredients in a mixing glass and fill it with ice.
- Stir for about 30 seconds.
- Strain into the coupe and add the peel.
About the Martinez
The Martinez is a gin drink built like a Manhattan: equal-ish gin and sweet vermouth, a spoon of maraschino and bitters. It is mellow, spiced and gently sweet, much closer to a Manhattan in feel than to the dry Martini it led to. Old Tom gin, lightly sweetened, is the traditional base.
History
Earliest record 1884: O. H. Byron, The Modern Bartenders' Guide, New York
Documented
O. H. Byron's The Modern Bartenders' Guide (New York, 1884) has the earliest known mention, saying simply that it is a Manhattan made with gin instead of whiskey. The 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas's Bar-Tender's Guide, published after his death, gives a full recipe with Old Tom gin, vermouth, maraschino, bitters and a little syrup.
Legend and lore
Two stories compete. One says Jerry Thomas made it in San Francisco for a traveller heading to the town of Martinez; the other, told in Martinez itself, credits a local bartender in the 1870s. There is no contemporary record for either.
Variations
- Dry Martini. The descendant: dry gin and dry vermouth, much less sweet.
- Manhattan. The whiskey model the Martinez was described against.
- Hanky Panky. Gin and sweet vermouth with a little bitter amaro instead of maraschino.
Bartender's notes
- If you only have London dry gin, add 5 ml simple syrup to come closer to the Old Tom version.
- Some bartenders prefer 60 ml gin to 30 ml vermouth for a drier, more modern drink; both are correct.
