I’m making a martini tonight. It’s been one of those weeks. And, before you ask, OF COURSE it’ll be gin. I’m not sure which yet. I have a few questions for you martini connoisseurs:
1.) What gin (that’s not too overly esoteric…I’d like to be able to find and afford it) are you loving in martinis right now?
2.) What vermouth (same requirements as #1) are you using?
3.) The real kicker: what’s the classic, proper ration of gin:vermouth?
Looking forward to the (what are sure to be) varied responses. FWIW, my last martini was Botanist gin and Rossi vermouth (yeah, I know…). I liked the Botanist quite a bit but, if I’m being critical, it was a little too nondescript for me. (this is a duplicate post from the CT forums)
For a classic martini at our house, it’s usually London dry (Sipsmith, Tanq10, Beefeater) with Dolin dry 2:1, expressed lemon (toss the zest after expressing).
We also drink lots of Hendrick’s with Dolin (2:1) with a caperberry garnish.
I surprised at the few responses. Those above are great. I ended up going with Plymouth Gin and Dolin Vermouth (thanks, all) at about 5:1 with two olives (no juice). Stirred, of course. It was very good.
6 parts gin
1 part vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
stir until cold
garnish of your choice, but remember it is a cocktail, not a vegetable salad. Olive juice in a martini is an abomination.