How to order your cocktail?
The Dry Martini, a cocktail of a thousand mysteries, whether you’re a passionate enthusiast or an intrepid novice, we’re going to help you decipher the essential secrets of this emblematic drink.
From how to order it like a connoisseur to its bewitching and controversial origins, let’s dive into the captivating world of this legendary beverage, made from 2 simple ingredients: Gin and Vermouth.
What is it that makes this seemingly easy cocktail so fascinating?
The precise origin remains obscure and shrouded in an aura of mystery (see our article Dry Martini by Le Vadrouilleur).
Although the Dry Martini was originally concocted with gin, it can also be made with vodka.
James Bond was partial to his Dry Martini shaken rather than stirred, but shaking is not recommended. Shaking your drink incorporates too much air, resulting in a slightly cloudy and diluted cocktail. A classic dry martini should be velvety smooth and mellow.
Clean, dirty, dry, wet – these are all expressions used to order a martini. The dry martini is a very simple cocktail, but when you first order it, the multitude of variations can make it incredibly complex.
Here’s a practical guide to ordering a Dry Martini like an expert:
1. Choose your spirit – Gin or Vodka
2. Select your proportion – Do you prefer a dry or wet cocktail? The choice depends on the amount of vermouth used. A wet Dry Martini contains more vermouth, giving it a sweeter, less alcoholic flavour. Conversely, a dry one contains more gin or vodka, giving it a stronger alcohol content and a drier mouthfeel.
3. Choose your garnish and other additions – Traditionally, Dry Martinis are garnished with one or two olives, but you can also opt for a lemon zest (indicate if this is to your liking). For a Dry Martini without garnish, ask for clean.
4. A dirty Dry Martini is garnished with olives and contains olive juice.
5. Choose your method of preparation – stirred, shaken or naked (unmixed).
6. Select your presentation – Straight up (mixed with ice then strained), neat (at room temperature) or on the rocks (with ice).
Our Dry Martini, stirred
- Fill the glass with ice cubes. Once chilled, remove the excess water.
- Add 6 centilitres of Veirado vermouth.
- Add 4 centilitres of Mistello gin
- Refresh, stirring with a spoon.
- Using a sieve, retain the ice cubes and pour the cooled mixture into the serving glass.
- Garnish with a zest of lemon.
- Enjoy
