How to Make a Dry Martini

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PREP TIME 5 min

Cocktail Type

Gin

Great for

Dinner Party

Difficulty

Easy

Two Dry Gin Martinis with olives

Have you ever wondered how to make a Dry Martini and get the recipe juuust right? Well, turns out you’re not alone. This classic gin and vermouth cocktail has been around for ages and it is as popular as ever! While there are plenty of variations to this classic drink, we find that sometimes all you need to get the perfect result is to stick to the recipe. And that’s exactly what you’ll do when figuring out how to make a Dry Gin Martini.

QUICK TIPS

01

Once opened store the vermouth in your fridge. It will keep for up to 3 months. 

02

Use lemon peel as an alternative garnish if you’re not a fan of the salty taste of olives.

03

The key to a great Martinis is to keep everything cold. From the glasses to your ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

MAKE FOR

1 Person

75 Ml

2.5 Oz

2.5 Parts

15 Ml

0.5 Oz

0.5 Parts

1 Dash of orange bitters
Olive or lemon twist, to garnish
Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

01

Put your martini glasses into the freezer about 30 minutes before serving

02

Pour the gin, dry vermouth and bitters into an ice-filled mixing glass and stir until ice cold

03

Strain into a pre-chilled martini glass

04

Twist a lemon peel over the Dry Martini, and drop it into the drink

05

Serve

History of the Dry Martini cocktail

Like many of the classic cocktails, the Martini’s origin story is 1 part fact, 2 parts speculation and 3 parts tall tale. Some say that it began life in Martinez, California during the gold rush of the 1800s. A local miner struck it big and wanted a glass of champagne to celebrate, but the bar was out. The bartender mixed him up a drink with similar ingredients to the modern 2-ingredient Martini and the Martinez cocktail was born. The Martinez evolved over time and eventually became the Martini.  

Others like author Barnard Conrad say that it was most likely invented in San Francisco by the famous bartender, Jerry Thomas. Miners would have sampled his version of the cocktail on their way to the city of Martinez.

The real story is lost to history, but like most cocktails there are usually evolutions of what has come before. Bartenders tweak, refine and add their spin until perfection is achieved. Most cocktail history is never as clean as the first sip of a dry Martini, but tall tales make for interesting reading.

Today’s classic Martini is one of the cocktail greats that will never go out of style. Its simplicity of gin and vermouth means good technique is key to a great Martini.  

Variations  

When it comes to how to make a dry gin martini, purists will tell you to stick to the classic, but where’s the fun in that? A Martini is probably the best example of a cocktail that is bespoke to its drinker. Martinis can be everything from wet and dirty to dry and extra dry. They can be shaken or stirred but contrary to Mr Bond, stirred is preferred to maintain a viscous texture. If you’re after something extra, then try a Martini infused with lime, cucumber, lemon, apple or even passionfruit.   

When to serve

The Martini is a cocktail for special occasions, but a well-timed Martini will turn any event into a special occasion. Serve it at cocktail and dinner parties or set up a Martini station during lunch with friends and tailor each one to taste.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Gin or vodka is up to the drinker, but a dry Martini must always have dry vermouth in it.

If you’re wondering how to make a very Dry Martini, then just add less vermouth. The dry part refers to how much vermouth is in the drink. The less vermouth, the drier the Martini.

A Martini can be made with either gin or vodka.

A Dry Martini has gin or vodka and vermouth while a Dirty Martini has an added dash of olive brine.

A Wet Martini has more vermouth in it than a Dry Martini.