A beautifully balanced strong & sweet drink with complex layers of botanicals.
Stir down all the ingredients over plenty of ice in a pre-chilled cocktail mixing glass. Once you have the drink well chilled and have a little dilution, strain into an ice cold coupette. A twist of orange makes a great aromatic garnish.
Dates From: 1860’s – 1880’s.
Key Flavours: Strong and sweet balance with complexity from the botanicals & vermouth.
Background: The Martinez is often considered the father of the Martini though its true origins are somewhat mysterious. It appears that while the original recipe (above) called for a sweet vermouth, the preference chance during the early part of the 20th Century to a drier style. The recipe above is for the more traditional version, but this is a great drink to test out various ratios and style of vermouth. Modern versions often call for Maraschino liqueur which works well as long as you go easy on the quantities.