Classic Martini cocktail recipe

Well, if it isn’t the favourite cocktail of Bond, James Bond. But long before 007 ordered his Martini shaken (for some reason), the Martini was much-loved for generations.

There’s a lot of back and forth about when, where and why the Martini was made. In fact, we could write many books about it, but we’ll simply say that no one really knows for sure how it came about. The widely accepted theory is that it came from the popular Martinez cocktail (also delicious) and very slowly evolved to switch out sweet Italian vermouth for the drier French style.

The first written recipe (or so we think) of a Martini variation was featured in Harry Johnson’s 1888 book, Bartender Manual. That recipe used Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, orange curaçao, gum, bitters and a lemon twist.

After 1888, it kept evolving until it morphed into the chic drink we know and love today. And come on, how savvy do you feel when you order a Martini at a bar? Knowing exactly which gin and which vermouth you want, and whether you like it dry or wet, dirty or with an olive is a serious flex.

But with all these variations, what makes a Martini a Martini? To put it quite simply, it’s the glass. That’s how cocktails like the Espresso Martini and the Appletini fit into the Martini family. So, it’s worth spending a little time perfecting the original Classic Martini cocktail recipe.    

The Martini isn’t necessarily a hard drink to make, but to nail the perfect Martini, it takes some time and patience. Luckily, we’ve devised a little Martini cheat sheet for you.

First up, never shake a Martini. James Bond may be super suave, and it may sound awesome ordering a cocktail that is “shaken not stirred”, but don’t. When you shake a drink in a cocktail tin, you’re doing two things: aerating the drink and smashing ice together to dilute the drink quickly. If you do this for a Martini, you’ll be left with little ice shards in your drink even after straining, which will further dilute your cocktail as you drink it. And no one likes a watery Martini.

Secondly, you can change how dry or wet your Martini is by experimenting with your gin and vermouth ratios. So, if you like a dry Martini, stick with the ratio above, but if you like a slightly wetter Martini, add more vermouth and less gin. Similarly, if you’re not keen on a lemon twist, stab a few olives and drop them in.

Lastly, and most importantly, a Martini is designed to be drunk in two to three sips, so it needs to be cold. Stirring the Martini not only adds the right amount of dilution to the drink, but it also makes the drink cold, which is very important. To keep your Martini colder for longer, chuck your Martini glasses in the freezer an hour before making. Cold glass = cold drink.

Now that you’re clued into the industry’s best Martini-making tips, it’s time to start experimenting with your own. And if you want to veer away from the OG, you can try the Dirty Martini, Vodka Martini or perhaps the French Martini for a sweet, fruity take.