Martinez Recipe: Gin, Vermouth and Maraschino

Ingredients

1½ oz London dry gin or Old Tom gin for a sweeter, historic versione.g. Tanqueray · Gordon's · Beefeater · Bombay Sapphire · Sipsmith
1½ oz sweet vermouthe.g. Martini · Cinzano · Carpano · Cocchi · Punt e Mes
1 bar spoon maraschino liqueure.g. Luxardo · Maraska · Lazzaroni
2 dash orange bitterse.g. Angostura · Regans' Orange Bitters · Fee Brothers · The Bitter Truth

Garnish: Lemon twist · Ice: Served up, no ice

Method

Chill a coupe or cocktail glass.
Add gin, vermouth, maraschino and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice.
Stir for 20 to 30 seconds until very cold.
Strain into the chilled glass and express a lemon peel over the top.

Watch it made

Martinez

Taste

Full-bodied and bittersweet: juniper and citrus from the gin, spice and dried fruit from the vermouth, a light cherry note and a smooth finish. Noticeably strong.

History and origin

The Martinez belongs to the 1880s, when bartenders were combining the new Italian vermouths with gin and whiskey. The earliest known printed recipe appears in O. H. Byron's The Modern Bartenders' Guide of 1884, which describes it as a Manhattan made with gin. A version also appears in the 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas's bar guide, using Old Tom gin, a sweetened style popular at the time.

The origin of the name is disputed. One story links it to the town of Martinez in California, another to a San Francisco hotel bar. Neither can be proven. What is clear is that the Martinez sits at the start of a line that led, through drier gins and dry vermouth, to the Martini.

Bartender tips

Old Tom gin gives the softer, sweeter profile of the 1880s; with London dry gin the drink turns crisper.
Keep the maraschino to one bar spoon: it is a seasoning, and more makes the drink taste of cherry candy.
Store the vermouth in the fridge once opened; stale vermouth is the most common reason a Martinez tastes flat.

Variations

Dry Martinez: Use two parts gin to one part sweet vermouth for a leaner, more gin-forward drink.
Martinez with curaçao: Some 19th century versions use a dash of orange curaçao in place of, or alongside, the maraschino.