Martinez recipe
1¼ oz. Gin
1¼ oz. Sweet Vermouth
¼ oz. Maraschino
2 dashes of Orange bitters
Stir ingredients together with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe.
Gin recommendation
While an Old Tom might be more historically accurate, the best Martinez gin pairing comes down to a beautiful juniper note to shine above the cherry and vermouth. Because of the 1:1 gin and vermouth ratio, I think you can elevate the gin’s ABV and still have a drinkable cocktail. Try it with Plymouth, Plymouth Navy Strength, Sipsmith or Sipsmith VJOP.
Martinez Cocktail History
The cocktail dates back to the 19th century and the combination of gin and vermouth is often cited for having influenced the creation of the Martini.
Widely considered the oldest recipe for a Martinez in print, the 1884 edition of Byron’s The Modern Bartenders Guide suggests making it like this— just swap in gin or the whisky.
From 1903’s The Complete Buffet Guide, the Manhattan comes first alphabetically and therefore gets top billing.
Giggle Water from 1928 features a Martinez that is almost platonic. The Maraschino is present, but the vermouth is inadequately described. For their Martini recipe, the vermouth is highly specified.
Cocktails by “Jimmy” Late of Ciro’s (1930) features a Martinez that closely mirrors their recipe for a Martini. Note that Old Tom style is specifically called for.
