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Schweppes

The Drinks

Martini

Well, here it is. The granddaddy of them all. The cocktail of cocktails. The stuff of legends, myths, and just about any Hollywood movie of the 30s and 40s. As you might imagine, more has been written about the Martini than any other mixed drink, much of which centers around how much vermouth to use, and whether to shake or stir. We'll deal with both.

On the subject of vermouth, sadly, there can be no true answer. Martinis were originally mixed evenly between gin and vermouth, though that recipe has grown drier over the past several decades. The "drier" the Martini, the less vermouth it includes. Most purists will suggest that for every 1.5 ounces of London Dry Gin (80 proof is best), add something near 2 teaspoons of dry vermouth. That, or just a dash. Or just open the vermouth bottle within one mile of your chilled cocktail glass. It's really your call. For the record, however, we must state that a true Martini does indeed require some amount of vermouth. Without it, you're just pouring cold gin.

As for the great shaken-versus-stirred debate, there really isn't much to debate at all. Stirring your Martini in a glass filled with cracked ice has been well-proven to get the drink noticeably colder than shaking. And when it comes to Martinis, the real secret is in making it as cold as possible. Shaking also clouds the drink, which makes for a poor pour. So we say listen to the barman and have that Martini stirred, Mr. Bond.

In a stirring glass filled with cracked ice, stir vigorously:  

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