Martini cocktail in a martini glass — Dry vermouth

Martini Cocktail Recipe

boozy herbal

History

The Martini evolved from the earlier, sweeter Martinez cocktail of the late 19th century. Exact origins are fiercely debated—claims range from Martinez, California, to San Francisco and New York—but by the early 1900s the drier gin-and-vermouth version we recognize today had taken shape. Ratios have always been personal, ranging from wet (more vermouth) to bone-dry. Stir it so the gin stays silky and clear; a hard shake makes the same bottles cloudy, frothy, and a bit more diluted. Ice-cold, and finished with an olive or lemon twist, it remains the ultimate expression of simplicity and sophistication in a glass.

Ingredients

gin 2.5 oz

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dry vermouth 0.5 oz

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Missing a bottle? Stock your pantry to see what else you can mix.

How to make

Chill a martini glass or coupe in the freezer — a Martini is served ice-cold and up.
Add 2.5 oz gin and 0.5 oz dry vermouth to a mixing glass packed with ice.
Stir 20 to 30 seconds until the mixing glass frosts.
Do not shake: shaking adds air and extra water, so the drink turns cloudy and frothy; stirring keeps gin silky and the botanicals sharp.
Strain into the chilled glass.
Garnish with an olive or a lemon twist.

Glassware

Martini glass

The classic V-shape keeps chilled, no-ice drinks cold while the wide rim delivers aroma on every sip.

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Martini FAQ

Should you stir or shake a Martini?

Stir. A Martini is gin and dry vermouth — no juice — so stirring chills it without the foam and extra water you get from a hard shake. The drink stays clear and silky; gin botanicals stay sharp. Shake it only if you want Bond’s colder, cloudier, wetter version.

What ingredients are in a Martini?

A Martini is made with gin and dry vermouth. Amounts and pantry matching are in the ingredients list on this page.

How do you make a Martini?

Chill a martini glass or coupe in the freezer — a Martini is served ice-cold and up. Add 2.5 oz gin and 0.5 oz dry vermouth to a mixing glass packed with ice. Stir 20 to 30 seconds until the mixing glass frosts. Do not shake: shaking adds air and extra water, so the drink turns cloudy and frothy; stirring keeps gin silky and the botanicals sharp. Strain into the chilled glass. Garnish with an olive or a lemon twist.