In observation of World Cocktail Day, I thought I’d reflect on my favorite: the dry martini.
I am neither an historian nor a food critic—countless words have been written about this classic, and I won’t attempt to compete by writing about the drink’s history or its place in the pantheon of cocktails.
I can’t compete with Dorothy Parker (though the attribution is probably spurious):
I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I’m under the table,
After four I’m under my host.
For me, a dry martini is one part nostalgia, two parts simplicity.
A dry Beafeater Martini is my mother’s drink of choice. To this day, well over a decade after learning that fact (I don’t recall seeing her order a cocktail until I was in my late twenties), I still feel a connection when making, ordering, or enjoying a martini with Beafeater gin.
A dry martini is also a simple drink: just gin with a hint of dry vermouth and maybe a dash of orange bitters. It’s a drink that gives the gin a chance to shine (or flop). The dry vermouth and bitters (and twist of lemon) will enhance the gin, but they won’t cover up its flaws or make up for its shortcomings. I suspect that’s a big part of why people are very particular about the specific gin in their martini.
A London Dry (like Beafeater or Tanqueray) makes a very different martini from gins like Caorunn (Scotland), Drumshanbo (Ireland), Roku (Japan), or Tommyrotter (United States). I’m partial to Beafeater, both for the nostalgia, and because it’s a decent gin at an affordable price. However, a few years ago, I read a piece by Caroline Hatchett that advocated for splitting gin in a drink. Given the proliferation of local gins, that resonated with me, and I’ve been playing around with it ever since. I’ve found that I enjoy a mix of a London Dry and an American gin from New York. Beafeater (or Tanqueray) mixes very well with Tommyrotter, Blue Coat (yes I know it’s not from New York), or Sly Fox. I generally use a bit more of the American gin: maybe 3:2 or 4:3.
My dry martini recipe:
- 1 1/2 oz American gin
- 1 oz London Dry gin
- 1/2 oz dry vermouth
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Garnish with a twist of lemon (express the oils over the drink before rubbing the peel around the rim of the glass).
I sometimes make it both stronger and dryer, using just shy of 1 1/2 oz London Dry and just over 1 1/2 oz American, while sticking with the 1/2 oz of vermouth. This is partially because I don’t have to flip over the jigger between gins and partially because I like the martini quite dry.
However you enjoy your martini, it’s a classic with a rich history, and that seems a good cocktail to enjoy on World Cocktail Day.