Let's talk Martinis

[Richie C]

I've recently started mixing up a martini of an evening. Currently working through an old bottle of Martini Extra Dry and Bombay Sapphire. Half and half with a dash of Angostura Orange Bitters and a twist of lemon.

Any martini drinkers on here? I've picked up a bottle of Noilly Pratt and some Tanqueray to try next.

[sinbaddio]

I sometimes use vodka rather than gin (usually when I've run out of gin).

Also, try a Negroni, but not too many mind! Vermouth, Campari and Gin.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-make-p...

[TheJimi]

Espresso Martini for the win

[uncinqsix]

Lighthouse Gin, Noilly Prat, 6:1, with a twist. Perfect

[jontysafe]

Richie C said:

I've recently started mixing up a martini of an evening. Currently working through an old bottle of Martini Extra Dry and Bombay Sapphire. Half and half with a dash of Angostura Orange Bitters and a twist of lemon.

Any martini drinkers on here? I've picked up a bottle of Noilly Pratt and some Tanqueray to try next.

Half and half, good god man!

[Chucklehead]

purely based on this thread, I've just knocked up my first martini.

Never again.

Thanks.

[Blown2CV]

has no-one said yet the crucial difference between martini the product and martini the cocktail?

[CS Garth]

Richie C said:

I've recently started mixing up a martini of an evening. Currently working through an old bottle of Martini Extra Dry and Bombay Sapphire. Half and half with a dash of Angostura Orange Bitters and a twist of lemon.

Any martini drinkers on here? I've picked up a bottle of Noilly Pratt and some Tanqueray to try next.

That's not a martini it's an abomination.

Personally I prefer dirty - add ice to tumbler, generous pour of vermouth (not Martini), liberally coat the ice, pour vermouth out, pour in gin, liberal splash of olive brine, personally I stir, then add to martini glass straight from freezer.

Gin: I've tried the lot. Hendricks is hideous. Best is Tanq 10 (not normal stuff), Millers and Plymouth.

Also just found Toad Gin - new favourite

[Richie C]

CS Garth said:

Richie C said:

I've recently started mixing up a martini of an evening. Currently working through an old bottle of Martini Extra Dry and Bombay Sapphire. Half and half with a dash of Angostura Orange Bitters and a twist of lemon.

Any martini drinkers on here? I've picked up a bottle of Noilly Pratt and some Tanqueray to try next.

That's not a martini it's an abomination.

Personally I prefer dirty - add ice to tumbler, generous pour of vermouth (not Martini), liberally coat the ice, pour vermouth out, pour in gin, liberal splash of olive brine, personally I stir, then add to martini glass straight from freezer.

Gin: I've tried the lot. Hendricks is hideous. Best is Tanq 10 (not normal stuff), Millers and Plymouth.

Also just found Toad Gin - new favourite

Your vermouth recommendation is "not Martini"?

[AndrewCrown]

Richie

If it wasn’t immediately obvious from the comments above...you aren’t making a martini...
This is how it should be done...as CSG suggested...
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/05/04/how-to-ma...

You are on the right track buying Noilly Pratt...

[paralla]

+1 for Tanqueray Nº TEN

We keep the shaker and the martini glasses in the freezer.

Peel some lemon rind with a vegatable peeler then squeeze it so it sprays the top of the drink with citrus oil, rub it around the rim of teh glass, twist it then drop it in the drink as garnish.

Edited by paralla on Saturday 18th November 09:12

[Bill]

Call me a peasant but I'm not convinced about the Martini =/= a martini argument.

But then I like a dirty martini, rhubarb vodka martini (with a slither of stem ginger and some of the juice), blackberry vodka martini and other abominations.

[Bill]

I've also had (on a stag do, in a tent in Wales ) a Vesper made to Bond spec which was bloody lovely.

[Blown2CV]

Bill said:

Call me a peasant but I'm not convinced about the Martini =/= a martini argument.

it's not really a snobbery thing... it's more that they are completely different drinks. A vodka martini is incredibly strong, a very acquired taste and almost savoury hence additions of things like salty olives etc. Martini the stuff in bottles is sweet and totally different. Admittedly nowadays if you go into a cocktail bar there are quite often entire martini sections which are entirely different things again - see pornstar martini or espresso martini which is about as instagram fodder as you can get right now.

[Rollin]

"A perfect Martini should be made by filling a glass with gin, then waving it in the general direction of Italy,"

I stick to the Noel Coward recipe with the addition of an olive.

[Bill]

Blown2CV said:

it's not really a snobbery thing... it's more that they are completely different drinks. A vodka martini is incredibly strong, a very acquired taste and almost savoury hence additions of things like salty olives etc. Martini the stuff in bottles is sweet and totally different. Admittedly nowadays if you go into a cocktail bar there are quite often entire martini sections which are entirely different things again - see pornstar martini or espresso martini which is about as instagram fodder as you can get right now.

Dry Martini is dry, no? It's the red stuff that's sweet.

[Richie C]

I must admit I didn't expect to start an argument on what is or isn't a martini, but then I guess this is Pistonheads so it could have been foreseen! :-)

[AndrewCrown]

Richie

I've worked out what you are making... it is technically a '50/50 Martini'
Cheers

A

[uncinqsix]

The "proper" ratio of Gin to vermouth has changed massively with fashion over the decades. In the 20s, 3:1 or 2:1 was the standard, and it's got progressively higher since then. Taken to the extreme, as some of the more pretencious hipster types do, you might as well just be drinking neat gin.

I'm probably desperately uncool for making mine in the 6:1 to 8:1 range, but I like the way the two elements balance out.

[schmunk]

Blown2CV said:

it's not really a snobbery thing... it's more that they are completely different drinks. A vodka martini is incredibly strong, a very acquired taste and almost savoury hence additions of things like salty olives etc. Martini the stuff in bottles is sweet and totally different. Admittedly nowadays if you go into a cocktail bar there are quite often entire martini sections which are entirely different things again - see pornstar martini or espresso martini which is about as instagram fodder as you can get right now.

"Martini" in a bottle is a brand of Vermouth.

A Martini cocktail is mainly Gin, with a splash of Vermouth (which may or may not be "Martini" brand).