This video came at just the right time. My gf and I have been slowly building up a home bar. And the other day she bought a martini glass at the thrift store, mentioning we still haven't made a single martini. Definitely surprise her with one of these tonight.
Same here.. Just set up my little Mini bar and tried out all these variations today and loved every single one. Never knew what a martini was until now lol LONG LIVE GIN!!
I'd just like to say I appreciate the decision to start chilling your glasses. I get the reasoning behind the decision not to do it in earlier videos (to show the drink more clearly), but I feel like setting an example and showing what the drink should look like in a properly chilled glass is the right way to go, especially for something like a martini. Lovely episode. Keep on keeping on.
I’ve been making what I call a white trash martini. 1 part Martini Rossi blanc vermouth 2 parts Sapphire gin few dash’s of orange bitters cocktail onion juice and two onion and a jalapeño stuffed olive. I don’t know if anyone else would like it but my wife and I do. Great video.
Sounds great to me. Don't know if that means it's good or trashy though! It's not far from my go to which is 1.5 Vermouth to 2 Gin with a splash of olive brine. I always garnish with like 6 olives though!
I've been able to keep vermouth up to a year open in the fridge (I use a lot of sweet, but not much dry in my house) and fine by using the wine preservation sprays. They use non-reactive gases that are heavier than air to force the oxygen out of the bottle, so the exposure to air becomes limited to when you're using it and a very small amount remaining in the bottle. Really helps when you don't use something a ton.
My personal favorite Martini version is a Wet Gin Martini. Which is: 2oz Gin (preferably something like Bombay or London Dry) 1oz Sweet Vermouth .25oz of simple syrup 3-4 dashes orange bitters And a lemon peel for oils and flare.
In a Japanese manga called Bartender. Bartender apprentice Kyoko Kawakami mixed a martini to her mentor Minami. However, Minami commented her martini "has no expression". It was because she just simply mix a martini by dry gin and dry vermouth, and then an olive garnish. Or she was just imitate her mentor's recipe. Your video answered how to give martini an "expression".
Lately I've been very keen on Dolin Blanc in a Martini. It's an interesting mid-way point between sweet and dry, so it hits that sort of "perfect" note but without so much syrupy sweetness. more floral.
Really appreciate that 1:1:4 dirty recipe. Most recipes say something like a bar spoon or a splash of brine, but I like a dirty martini pretty filthy. Also, if I'm ording or making a martini dirty, I say get as many olives on that stick as your can. 😄
I find myself partial to a Gibson, gin and picked onion, with lemon rind. The only vodka martini I’ve really enjoying is a dirty one, where they use the olives and brine from jalapeño stuff olives, but that really has to be paired with the right meal to balance the heat.
There's one other Martini you didn't cover here, the Upside Down/Reverse Martini (AKA the Julia Child Martini, it was her favorite cocktail). It's basically a Dry Martini with the proportions swapped, so you have 2 oz vermouth and 1/2 oz gin. I personally like this one the best but it's harder to pick the gin because it's no longer the base, it's now a modifier. I've not tried it with a Genever or an Old Tom gin but I think either style would be lovely here.
My favorite martini is The Perfect Dirty Martini 2oz Botanist gin 3/4oz sweet vermouth 3/4oz dry vermouth 1/4oz olive brine Olive as garnish Served in a cognac sniffer
My perfect Gibson: "Wash" the ice in a stirrer with dry vermouth and a bit of the pickling juice from the onion. Stir Hendricks and pour into a chilled glass and garnish with a pickled onion rubbing the onion around the rim before depositing into glass. The pickled onion pairs extremely well with the botanicals in Hendricks.
Great video, thank you. Are we allowed to order "on the rocks with extra olives"? I love martinis that are like a liquid olive salad that remain cold for a long time.
You’re allowed to order whatever you want! If you’re specific in your order it takes all the oddity away because you’ve provided clear instructions and making an odd but clearly defined drink is better than ordering vaguely and being upset when your specific tastes aren’t met
Leandro, great info. Please try splitting the vermouth with 1/2 Dolin Dry and 1/2 Dolin Blanc and let me know what you think! (Vodka or Gin, your preference)
This sparked a bar etiquette question I struggle with. As a customer at a bar, if I want my martini, old fashioned etc made a certain way, what is the best way to deliver that request to the bartender without coming across like you don't think they know what they are doing?
What I usually do (because I live in a city shockingly illiterate in cocktail lore) is just tell them what I want, i.e. a 3:1 martini with olive or a sweet manhattan with bourbon. That way you come across as savvy without offending anyone. Or sometimes I ask something like "What whisky do you use for x", and if I don't like it, just ask for a different one. In my experience, the good bartenders are actually happy when customers know what they want, as opposed to the negroni-swilling hoi polloi.
To me it depends on if I'm ordering from the bartender, or from a server. At the bar, just order what you want. I prefer 1.5 : 2 ratio, so I'll never get it if I don't ask. But bartenders know drinks well enough to just state a martini order once and they understand it immediately. From a server though? Detailed orders seem more snobby and aren't even likely to get relayed correctly. So I'd just use descriptors like "gin martini wet and dirty" and see what I get. Honestly, it's a martini, other than the gin vs vodka divide, nobody that likes one martini will truly hate another so I don't find it that important to get it super specific.
Great overview. Love this style of videos. Personally my go to is the 50/50 martini, but the other options also look tempting, especially as more I go into gin. Cheers and thanks!
Great video as always. My preference is 2:1 gin. That being said guests at my bar (especially older guests it must be said) think of a martini as chilled vodka in a martini glass. Always willing to have an enlightened conversation about this drink however
Is it common to use orange bitters? I've personally never used it for martinis until I saw your videos and personally, not a fan. (Not a fan or orange bitters in martinis but definitely a fan of your videos!)
It's pretty traditional to have some kind of bitters. Harry Johnson's Bartender's Manual (1882) uses Boker's (and gomme syrup and curaçao or absinthe!), and Jack's Manual by Jack A. Grohusko (1910) uses orange bitters (and Maraschino) for its Improved Martini Cocktail. The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock (1930) also has a 50/50 recipe with orange bitters. But there are also many historic recipes without any bitters. Just keep drinking it how you like it.
In my coutry if you order a Martini you will probably be served Martini Vermouth, neat. For a lot of people it's quite confusing whether Martini is a cocktail or a brand of vermouth / sparkling wine / etc.
Yes, I've had this happen to me. :o) I think the way to go is to specify that you want a martini *cocktail* (and probably specify what ratio you prefer, trying your best not to sound like Bond in Casino Royale). Of course after inquiring about how they store their vermouth. It's just hard to order a martini without sounding like a douche.
Hey Marius, Content idea - blind taste testing one dry and one sweet vermouth. One of the controversies I've been seeing is on vermouth storage (e.g. does vermouth in the fridge really last two or six weeks? Does room temp vs fridge make a difference?) Maybe a Leandro does a blind test of a few different bottles treated differently?
My biggest pet peeve is someone just ordering a “Martini”. I always follow up with Gin or Vodka? Then how would you like it? I always get a weird look when I ask these questions. I found out about making MSG solutions and started experimenting with it in cocktails. It makes my wet martini a whole new experience!
There are so many "perfect", "traditional" and "correct" variations, it's hard to order one without sounding like a picky douche if you know what you like, and I could see it being hard to take orders for if the order is vague. I think the way to accommodate patrons in a nice way is to ask "do you have a preferred ratio?" and if not, be ready to make a recommendation. MSG sounds awesome! A meaty martini?
I work at a dispense bar at a fine dining restaurant a d nothing annoys me more then getting a martini order that doesn't at least specify Gin or Vodka. It's too risky to just assume
My version: 1/2 Oz vermouth in shaker with ice, strain out the vermouth, add 3oz dry gin, stir, pore in a chilled martini glass, add lemon peel and cocktail onion. A Gibson.
Care to recommend a style/brand of olives to use for the brine in the dirty martini? Coincidentally, I tried making one for the first time last night, but the salinity of the brine I had on hand was overpowering despite only using 1/4oz. Really appreciate the full guide :)
My two favorite martini variations are the Vesper martini and the Martinez. I like my Vesper with Kina l'aero d'or from Tempest Fugit or Cocchi Americano and a dash of orange bitters. My Martinez is 50/50 Old Tom gin and sweet vermouth and a dash of angustora.
The term “master class” is over used in some videos. But that’s what you’ve created. Excellent. I’m a confirmed 2:1 gin to vermouth. I only use Plymouth. But you’ve pushed me and I’m going to give these a try and stop sneering. Thanks.
Olive juice you too Leandro! There's an Australian olive gin from Four Pillars which makes a great martini. Worth trying if anyone can get it in your region.
My suggestion would be to try the vodka martini with the Belvedere vodka. Makes all the difference. To me absolute vodka is just way to spicy and alcoholic, which makes the cocktail taste a lot like vodka. Belvedere on the contrary, is well balanced in taste and combines perfectly with vermouth.
This was a really interesting video. I’ve never seen orange bitters used at bars in my area nor have I made one with them at home. I’m a 6:1 fan with lemon express garnish but I need to try all these variations with the bitters now! Damn I love the variance in martinis
I have found just enough places that serve martinis on the rocks - ew - that I’ve come to always specify that I want mine ‘up’. I order a dry Hendricks martini, up, with three olives. Beyond that, I leave it to the bartender to do his thing.
Well at 59 I have now started drinking dirty martinis and I must say why have I waited so long to try this. I love it and this coming from a single malt drinker
i heard you can whip shake too right ? if the glass is chilled already or can be chilled w/ club soda & ice - correct ? but the most up class way is whip shaking & one big rock w/ less dilution of your cocktail drink correct ?
If we whip shake with pebble your adding too much water. Shaking with one big rock would be the way to go if you’re shaking a martini. Less dilution but you’re maximizing aeration.
Like the vid, surprised you didn’t touch on split- spirit martinis like the Vesper, or mention the Gibson. Lately I’ve been loving a cross between the two with some dirt added: 3/4 oz Noilly Prat vermouth, 1 oz Ketel One vodka, 1 oz Empress 1908 gin, 1/4 oz olive brine, a bar-spoon of cocktail onion juice stirred and garnished with an olive and an onion. Looks pretty from the gin and tastes delicious.
These comparison videos are great stuff....maybe a Manhattan-based one? My preferred martini is a 3:1, and I mostly actually prefer a Gibson over a martini, because I like it more savory than fresh/sour. To this end, I can highly recommend Belzazar dry vermouth, which adds almost ridiculous amounts of complexity to a martini.
I generally don’t order martinis in a bar anymore because bartenders are clueless. If I go to a speakeasy style bar, only then I’ll order it cause they’re usually pretty good for that
I think they look really nice in those cocktail (Nick & Nora-style) glasses. Why do you prefer them to martini glasses?? Just a curious home bar tender. Love the content!!
My preferred martini might be blasphemy but I like 2-1 Sweet vermoth only and served on ice with a grapefruit zest. Easy sippin and the dilution over time gives it some depth
The martini is kind of like The Beatles. They are household names, possibly the most iconic of their kind, and of an extremely high quality in their surpassing uniqueness. And yet the average joe really doesn’t seem to prefer them. In some way dare I say they are under appreciated? Leandro’s first 2:1 recipe w/ orange bitters, Dolin and Beefeater is spot-on. Very few people are given the privilege of tasting a proper martini. This cocktail is audacious and contains multitudes, like having “Honey Pie” and “Revolution #9” on the same album.
Great video, I still don't understand what's the point of cracking the ice before adding more ice cubes? Maybe it's just become a signature move at this point 😃
I’m very interested in the brand of olives you use. I’ve had a hard time finding one’s that work best. I found a lot of bad ones but no “go to” for the dirty martini. Any suggestions?
Is the Sweet Martini not ordered in modern North American bars since it is left out of this lineup? I know it was in the historic Martinis lineup, but the 2:1 was in both and I feel a sweet Martini would be a natural to have in both lineups just like the 2:1.
@@alexandernordstrom1617 That's a good idea, thanks! Since I'm not always drinking the same cocktails, most of my liquor end up sitting for long periods at my bar, so every little thing helps.
@@he_was_a_skater_dog Look at repour tops, it's probably the most economical, I want to get something better but the price is kind of discouraging on the better options, at least for me.
@@TheEducatedBarfly I'm never calling you pretentious, good sir. Only an apparently poor attempt at self-deprecating humor over being picky about a drink I rarely order
Great video! This definitely covers the classics, but missed two of my preferred Martini's which I think are both fairly common these days. Its tough to talk martinis without the Vesper coming up, and also the trend towards very, very dry martinis with only a glass wash or spray of vermouth. My preferred Martini requires keeping martini glasses and Tanqueray in the freezer at all times, so you can take out the glass, give it 2-4 sprays from an atomizer, pour 2-4 oz gin straight into the glass, olive garnish and good to go with no dilution.
Why not the Vesper? 3 oz gin, 1 oz vodka, ½ oz Salers (originally Kina Lillet, but that's no longer made), and a lemon twist. Instead of Salers, Kina L'Avion d'Or or Cocchi Americano are options.
Re: Gin -Traditional martini: Thank you mentioning how to manage the vermouth… Over time I kept using less and less and would pour into shaker over ice and drain and then add the gin for just a hint of vermouth and then added my olive brine and olives …I think i came up with a hybrid lol.
If the customer wants a drink a certain way, then that is the way you should do it. A machinist doesn’t decide that the engineer wasn’t really serious about a given measurement if he is worth anything at all. Bartenders are no different.
Eh that’s your job. Don’t become a bartender then idk what to say. First rule of business, the customer is always right. Second rule, refer to rule numero uno
As a former bartender and a martini lover, the martini is just one of THOSE drinks that demands complexity because of its simplicity. Unfortunately the drink is also a magnet for people that just love to complain. If they don't like your offering the first time, a nice person might ask you for a slight alteration or just order something else. It's the ones that keep complaining and sending it back... I've been drinking gin Gibsons since the 80s and usually make mine at home because I know not many know what it is. I go out to have fun, not cause stress 🍸
They have stoppers that evacuate oxygen, I use a lot of sherry, marsala, vermouth etc.. in cooking. You have to have a shelf that fits the bottle standing up is the only pain if you are used to just laying them down, but they work once per bottle then throw them away. I'm a home cook so I can't use enough of each to keep them really fresh although they would probably be ok laying down inside six months, also depends on how much air is in the bottle, some folks will move them down to smaller reusable bottles and label to reduce air contact. Any cream liquors go in the fridge for me as well, not booze but falernum, and fruity stuff like fashinola gets the chill because mold although you may hear different.
My favorite is a sapphire martini extra dry and a little dirty with blue cheese olives. I do a cap full of martini & rossi dry vermouth and about a bar spoon of olive brine. Vodka martinis are a no go for me. I need the botanicals of the gin or it feels too boring.
@@TheEducatedBarfly Well, that is my limit too! I do it 2:1 and maybe will add 1 part of brine to make it dirty for the second one. BTW, over the past few months I fell in love with Broker's gin London Dry, veeery smooth. Highly recommended.
anything that has a wine base so not only vermouth but some vermouth Amaro blends such as punt e mes and any wine based aperitif like Capaletti and Cocchi americano
If you keep your gin in the freeze(I know, heresy) and your Vermouth refrigerated, when the Martini is shaken (my preference), the dilution is minimal and more importantly, the Martini is as cold as possible. Stirred and served in a room temp glass is a failure.
No drink served up should ever be served in a room temp glass. The best way to incorporate a freezer in a martini is to batch it in a bottle and stick it in the freezer THAT will make it as cold as possible. In the videos I used to use I chilled glasses for people to see the color the cocktail is supposed to be but have since stopped doing it
ordering a martini is either a cry for help or almost a dominance move. It takes time to properly make one and having to teach the bartender is why I stopped ordering them. my goto is a perfect sapphire martini stirred with 2 olives. but I only add a drop of each, swirl in the glass then dump and pour the gin over the olives for a more consistent taste. Also, the stirring should be in an elliptical pattern to avoid bruising the gin.
Nice production, although I would have liked a reference to the original Martini (like the Turf Club), and the fact that "The early recipes for the Martini...all called for sweet vermouth and Old Tom gin" (from the chapter on the Martini Cocktail in Dave Wondrich's "Imbibe!" reference on cocktail history). The Martini started with Italian vermouth which was sweet, not dry. I am saying this because I myself am Italian and I just cannot drink a Dry Martini (I have really tried to like it - and yes, even with a brand new bottle of dry vermouth). Italians seem to like things sweet (we even put sugar in our whipped cream!), but dry has become the standard in the anglosaxon world. That's as it should be, but it would have been nice with a nod to its Italian origin.
great video, checks out with what i thought i knew. but can anyone tell me why in the world i've ordered a gin martini twice in the last month and had to clarify that i didn't want it on the rocks? once was at a wedding reception, i'll give that guy a pass. but seems to me that chilled and neat is just the standard way to serve a martini. you shouldn't have to clarify 'not on the rocks.'
Because places are hiring beer and shot bartenders that don't know what a simple gin and tonic is, they cut citrus twice a week, and think a can of grapefruit juice (still in the can) from last week is good to go? A lot of places just don't do cocktails really, or not right if they are off the menu of bottled mixes and flavored spirits. I can easily one up you, my wife ordered an old fashioned and the "cherry" was a fucking black olive, the orange wedge was in a state of decomposition where it was cut last week. When I fished the suspicious looking cherry out I didn't taste the drink but I'll bet it had a healthy splash of soda water along with the ice dilution. The server knew they had no idea what they were doing "back there" and just took it back like she expected it to happen. LoL Other than rotten oxidized fruit juices which are more common than you would think, it's the strangest thing I have ever been served and they are still open to this day making money off shitty freezer aisle food, bottled beer, and shots.
This video came at just the right time. My gf and I have been slowly building up a home bar. And the other day she bought a martini glass at the thrift store, mentioning we still haven't made a single martini. Definitely surprise her with one of these tonight.
Keep us updated for those who are also building a bar and lack any martini experience lol
Same here.. Just set up my little Mini bar and tried out all these variations today and loved every single one. Never knew what a martini was until now lol LONG LIVE GIN!!
I'd just like to say I appreciate the decision to start chilling your glasses. I get the reasoning behind the decision not to do it in earlier videos (to show the drink more clearly), but I feel like setting an example and showing what the drink should look like in a properly chilled glass is the right way to go, especially for something like a martini. Lovely episode. Keep on keeping on.
Thanks! We essentially had this discussion and came out on the chilled glass side so it’s here to stay :)
*Drunkenly gets off the bed to put vermouth in the fridge* 😂😂
😂
I felt that
Is Nora around ?
I’ve been making what I call a white trash martini. 1 part Martini Rossi blanc vermouth 2 parts Sapphire gin few dash’s of orange bitters cocktail onion juice and two onion and a jalapeño stuffed olive. I don’t know if anyone else would like it but my wife and I do. Great video.
Sounds great to me. Don't know if that means it's good or trashy though! It's not far from my go to which is 1.5 Vermouth to 2 Gin with a splash of olive brine. I always garnish with like 6 olives though!
I've been able to keep vermouth up to a year open in the fridge (I use a lot of sweet, but not much dry in my house) and fine by using the wine preservation sprays. They use non-reactive gases that are heavier than air to force the oxygen out of the bottle, so the exposure to air becomes limited to when you're using it and a very small amount remaining in the bottle. Really helps when you don't use something a ton.
My personal favorite Martini version is a Wet Gin Martini. Which is:
2oz Gin (preferably something like Bombay or London Dry)
1oz Sweet Vermouth
.25oz of simple syrup
3-4 dashes orange bitters
And a lemon peel for oils and flare.
In a Japanese manga called Bartender. Bartender apprentice Kyoko Kawakami mixed a martini to her mentor Minami. However, Minami commented her martini "has no expression". It was because she just simply mix a martini by dry gin and dry vermouth, and then an olive garnish. Or she was just imitate her mentor's recipe.
Your video answered how to give martini an "expression".
Lately I've been very keen on Dolin Blanc in a Martini. It's an interesting mid-way point between sweet and dry, so it hits that sort of "perfect" note but without so much syrupy sweetness. more floral.
I love a 50/50 Dolin Blanc and Plymouth or Ford’s Gin, grapefruit bitters and grapefruit peel before the sun sets. Yum!
I use the Blanco from Martini and Rossi
Really appreciate that 1:1:4 dirty recipe. Most recipes say something like a bar spoon or a splash of brine, but I like a dirty martini pretty filthy. Also, if I'm ording or making a martini dirty, I say get as many olives on that stick as your can. 😄
I’ll have to try that. For years I’ve just put a couple bar spoons of brine in. Thought that was standard, but I guess not.
I find myself partial to a Gibson, gin and picked onion, with lemon rind. The only vodka martini I’ve really enjoying is a dirty one, where they use the olives and brine from jalapeño stuff olives, but that really has to be paired with the right meal to balance the heat.
There's one other Martini you didn't cover here, the Upside Down/Reverse Martini (AKA the Julia Child Martini, it was her favorite cocktail). It's basically a Dry Martini with the proportions swapped, so you have 2 oz vermouth and 1/2 oz gin. I personally like this one the best but it's harder to pick the gin because it's no longer the base, it's now a modifier. I've not tried it with a Genever or an Old Tom gin but I think either style would be lovely here.
I've tried a few martinis at home and we really enjoy the Fifty/Fifty. You can actually finish one without feeling too tipsy. Thanks for the video!
My favorite martini is
The Perfect Dirty Martini
2oz Botanist gin
3/4oz sweet vermouth
3/4oz dry vermouth
1/4oz olive brine
Olive as garnish
Served in a cognac sniffer
I’ve been making mine with Bianco vermouth. Very crisp and easy to drink.
Perfect timing. I had a bottle of Dry Vermouth waiting to be opened (Maidenii from Australia). The 2:1 with orange bitters and an orange twist is
My perfect Gibson:
"Wash" the ice in a stirrer with dry vermouth and a bit of the pickling juice from the onion.
Stir Hendricks and pour into a chilled glass and garnish with a pickled onion rubbing the onion around the rim before depositing into glass.
The pickled onion pairs extremely well with the botanicals in Hendricks.
Great video, thank you. Are we allowed to order "on the rocks with extra olives"? I love martinis that are like a liquid olive salad that remain cold for a long time.
You’re allowed to order whatever you want! If you’re specific in your order it takes all the oddity away because you’ve provided clear instructions and making an odd but clearly defined drink is better than ordering vaguely and being upset when your specific tastes aren’t met
Leandro, great info. Please try splitting the vermouth with 1/2 Dolin Dry and 1/2 Dolin Blanc and let me know what you think! (Vodka or Gin, your preference)
This sparked a bar etiquette question I struggle with. As a customer at a bar, if I want my martini, old fashioned etc made a certain way, what is the best way to deliver that request to the bartender without coming across like you don't think they know what they are doing?
Either get to know the bartender, or make it at home
What I usually do (because I live in a city shockingly illiterate in cocktail lore) is just tell them what I want, i.e. a 3:1 martini with olive or a sweet manhattan with bourbon. That way you come across as savvy without offending anyone. Or sometimes I ask something like "What whisky do you use for x", and if I don't like it, just ask for a different one. In my experience, the good bartenders are actually happy when customers know what they want, as opposed to the negroni-swilling hoi polloi.
To me it depends on if I'm ordering from the bartender, or from a server. At the bar, just order what you want. I prefer 1.5 : 2 ratio, so I'll never get it if I don't ask. But bartenders know drinks well enough to just state a martini order once and they understand it immediately. From a server though? Detailed orders seem more snobby and aren't even likely to get relayed correctly. So I'd just use descriptors like "gin martini wet and dirty" and see what I get. Honestly, it's a martini, other than the gin vs vodka divide, nobody that likes one martini will truly hate another so I don't find it that important to get it super specific.
I like to put a lot more vermouth with vodka, almost half and half, but to each his own.
And lemon peel around the glass edge for oil flavor
Great overview. Love this style of videos.
Personally my go to is the 50/50 martini, but the other options also look tempting, especially as more I go into gin. Cheers and thanks!
50/50 seems so underrated but it really is the best
@@lxxwj I totally agree. Cheers! 🍸
Great video as always. My preference is 2:1 gin. That being said guests at my bar (especially older guests it must be said) think of a martini as chilled vodka in a martini glass. Always willing to have an enlightened conversation about this drink however
Is it common to use orange bitters? I've personally never used it for martinis until I saw your videos and personally, not a fan. (Not a fan or orange bitters in martinis but definitely a fan of your videos!)
It's pretty traditional to have some kind of bitters. Harry Johnson's Bartender's Manual (1882) uses Boker's (and gomme syrup and curaçao or absinthe!), and Jack's Manual by Jack A. Grohusko (1910) uses orange bitters (and Maraschino) for its Improved Martini Cocktail. The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock (1930) also has a 50/50 recipe with orange bitters. But there are also many historic recipes without any bitters. Just keep drinking it how you like it.
In my coutry if you order a Martini you will probably be served Martini Vermouth, neat. For a lot of people it's quite confusing whether Martini is a cocktail or a brand of vermouth / sparkling wine / etc.
Yes, I've had this happen to me. :o) I think the way to go is to specify that you want a martini *cocktail* (and probably specify what ratio you prefer, trying your best not to sound like Bond in Casino Royale). Of course after inquiring about how they store their vermouth. It's just hard to order a martini without sounding like a douche.
Hey Marius,
Content idea - blind taste testing one dry and one sweet vermouth. One of the controversies I've been seeing is on vermouth storage (e.g. does vermouth in the fridge really last two or six weeks? Does room temp vs fridge make a difference?)
Maybe a Leandro does a blind test of a few different bottles treated differently?
My biggest pet peeve is someone just ordering a “Martini”. I always follow up with Gin or Vodka? Then how would you like it? I always get a weird look when I ask these questions.
I found out about making MSG solutions and started experimenting with it in cocktails. It makes my wet martini a whole new experience!
There are so many "perfect", "traditional" and "correct" variations, it's hard to order one without sounding like a picky douche if you know what you like, and I could see it being hard to take orders for if the order is vague. I think the way to accommodate patrons in a nice way is to ask "do you have a preferred ratio?" and if not, be ready to make a recommendation. MSG sounds awesome! A meaty martini?
I think it's fun to order a martini and see the bartender's interpretation of what a good martini is like.
I work at a dispense bar at a fine dining restaurant a d nothing annoys me more then getting a martini order that doesn't at least specify Gin or Vodka. It's too risky to just assume
My version: 1/2 Oz vermouth in shaker with ice, strain out the vermouth, add 3oz dry gin, stir, pore in a chilled martini glass, add lemon peel and cocktail onion. A Gibson.
Lately I've been drinking a 50/50 with Martini Bianco & New Amsterdam gin and it's amazing! It's so smooth I don't even have to chill it!
I keep trying to like the traditional 2:1, but the 5:1 is easily my favorite ratio.
I never thought about cracking the ice to get the shards in the drink. I tried it and it awesome!.
Im new in making cocktails at home your videos are great and educational, thanks!
Care to recommend a style/brand of olives to use for the brine in the dirty martini? Coincidentally, I tried making one for the first time last night, but the salinity of the brine I had on hand was overpowering despite only using 1/4oz. Really appreciate the full guide :)
My two favorite martini variations are the Vesper martini and the Martinez. I like my Vesper with Kina l'aero d'or from Tempest Fugit or Cocchi Americano and a dash of orange bitters. My Martinez is 50/50 Old Tom gin and sweet vermouth and a dash of angustora.
If you remember I'm a huge fan of Gin. favorite spirit. the Margarite is still my preferred Martini. that 2-1 is just perfect.
I use Private Preserve on my Vermouths and it keeps for much longer - still refrigerated.
I like your videos. I especially like the one where you go through every popular drink step by step. Keep up the good work.
The term “master class” is over used in some videos. But that’s what you’ve created. Excellent. I’m a confirmed 2:1 gin to vermouth. I only use Plymouth. But you’ve pushed me and I’m going to give these a try and stop sneering. Thanks.
Olive juice you too Leandro!
There's an Australian olive gin from Four Pillars which makes a great martini. Worth trying if anyone can get it in your region.
My suggestion would be to try the vodka martini with the Belvedere vodka. Makes all the difference. To me absolute vodka is just way to spicy and alcoholic, which makes the cocktail taste a lot like vodka. Belvedere on the contrary, is well balanced in taste and combines perfectly with vermouth.
This was a really interesting video. I’ve never seen orange bitters used at bars in my area nor have I made one with them at home. I’m a 6:1 fan with lemon express garnish but I need to try all these variations with the bitters now! Damn I love the variance in martinis
I have found just enough places that serve martinis on the rocks - ew - that I’ve come to always specify that I want mine ‘up’. I order a dry Hendricks martini, up, with three olives. Beyond that, I leave it to the bartender to do his thing.
Tanqueray ten and Lillet blanc, 4 dashes of feegans and a grapefruit peel. It’s a bit sweeter but I’ve never had a better martini.
Well at 59 I have now started drinking dirty martinis and I must say why have I waited so long to try this. I love it and this coming from a single malt drinker
Beefeater Martini, up, extra dry with a twist of lime.... Many fond college day happy hours memories before Friday night dinner. Cheers, Mugsy.
I really like the Humblebrag that you included in a compilation video. That cucumber-forward gin/grapefruit bitters combination is perfect.
i heard you can whip shake too right ? if the glass is chilled already or can be chilled w/ club soda & ice - correct ? but the most up class way is whip shaking & one big rock w/ less dilution of your cocktail drink correct ?
If we whip shake with pebble your adding too much water. Shaking with one big rock would be the way to go if you’re shaking a martini. Less dilution but you’re maximizing aeration.
@@TheEducatedBarfly is there also a video lessons on different types of shakes too in your video lessons ? That would be awesome !
i use your recipe whenever i make gin martinis i feel like the orange bitters help bring out the subtle citrus notes in the gin
Like the vid, surprised you didn’t touch on split- spirit martinis like the Vesper, or mention the Gibson. Lately I’ve been loving a cross between the two with some dirt added: 3/4 oz Noilly Prat vermouth, 1 oz Ketel One vodka, 1 oz Empress 1908 gin, 1/4 oz olive brine, a bar-spoon of cocktail onion juice stirred and garnished with an olive and an onion. Looks pretty from the gin and tastes delicious.
Gonna need another video for what are considered variations but I should definitely put one in the works
What gin would you recommend for a dirty gin martini? Also, I’ve never used the orange bitters. I had no idea.
These comparison videos are great stuff....maybe a Manhattan-based one? My preferred martini is a 3:1, and I mostly actually prefer a Gibson over a martini, because I like it more savory than fresh/sour. To this end, I can highly recommend Belzazar dry vermouth, which adds almost ridiculous amounts of complexity to a martini.
Haven't really made my way into Martinis to much, but don't know if I have really ever tried a good Gin one. Maybe I should change that! Great video
I generally don’t order martinis in a bar anymore because bartenders are clueless. If I go to a speakeasy style bar, only then I’ll order it cause they’re usually pretty good for that
Great video as always. You did forget the "burnt" martini though.
This is when you give the glass a scotch rinse.
Cheers.
Whoa. Never heard of such a thing. I might have to try it!
Great video. I'm sure this has been asked before, but what brand of ice machine is that on the counter behind you? Thank you
that's the Opal Nugget Machine, now made by GE
12:33 what brand of dry vermouth do you use?
I think they look really nice in those cocktail (Nick & Nora-style) glasses. Why do you prefer them to martini glasses?? Just a curious home bar tender. Love the content!!
Just much more elegant, small in volume as martinis should be that’s the only reason
what's with this "orange bitter"? I've never seen that mentioned in a recipe before; two ingredients (gin/vodka + vermouth) + the garnish no?
Couldn't you dry shake it then pour it over ice, stir it, and strain it if you want the airation without the dilution?
My preferred martini might be blasphemy but I like 2-1 Sweet vermoth only and served on ice with a grapefruit zest. Easy sippin and the dilution over time gives it some depth
Sounds like your preferred martini is an artillery
It sounds good, but that's not a martini.
The martini is kind of like The Beatles. They are household names, possibly the most iconic of their kind, and of an extremely high quality in their surpassing uniqueness. And yet the average joe really doesn’t seem to prefer them. In some way dare I say they are under appreciated? Leandro’s first 2:1 recipe w/ orange bitters, Dolin and Beefeater is spot-on. Very few people are given the privilege of tasting a proper martini. This cocktail is audacious and contains multitudes, like having “Honey Pie” and “Revolution #9” on the same album.
What do you mean when you say "a heftier gin"?
Probably one with a stronger flavor (likely more juniper forward) so that it isn't overpowered by the increased amount of vermouth
Great video, I still don't understand what's the point of cracking the ice before adding more ice cubes?
Maybe it's just become a signature move at this point
😃
What have you made from that Noma book?
I’m very interested in the brand of olives you use. I’ve had a hard time finding one’s that work best. I found a lot of bad ones but no “go to” for the dirty martini. Any suggestions?
Armstrong Martini Olives, I can only find them at Total Wine
Is the Sweet Martini not ordered in modern North American bars since it is left out of this lineup? I know it was in the historic Martinis lineup, but the 2:1 was in both and I feel a sweet Martini would be a natural to have in both lineups just like the 2:1.
I did another video on historic martinis and it’s in that video. Find it here: th-cam.com/video/zoPm3jZCrnE/w-d-xo.html
I had no idea there were so many variations. Learned a lot
Could you preserve dry vermouth longer by keeping it in the freezer? Or would it actually make matters worse?
It will freeze in the freezer since the alcohol percentage is quite low.
Keep it in the fridge, but if you want to make it last longer, get a Vacu Vin or similar.
@@saptarshic Thanks! I had no idea the alcohol was so little it would freeze.
@@alexandernordstrom1617 That's a good idea, thanks! Since I'm not always drinking the same cocktails, most of my liquor end up sitting for long periods at my bar, so every little thing helps.
@@he_was_a_skater_dog Look at repour tops, it's probably the most economical, I want to get something better but the price is kind of discouraging on the better options, at least for me.
Pretentious preferred 3/1 Martini:
Drumshanbo Irish Gin w/ California Citrus
Cocchi Americano
1 dash Orange Bitters
Cucumber slice
Not sure what you mean here that im pretentious and you prefer a 3:1 Martini or that you prefer 3:1 martinis and that’s pretentious
@@TheEducatedBarfly I'm never calling you pretentious, good sir. Only an apparently poor attempt at self-deprecating humor over being picky about a drink I rarely order
Great video! This definitely covers the classics, but missed two of my preferred Martini's which I think are both fairly common these days. Its tough to talk martinis without the Vesper coming up, and also the trend towards very, very dry martinis with only a glass wash or spray of vermouth. My preferred Martini requires keeping martini glasses and Tanqueray in the freezer at all times, so you can take out the glass, give it 2-4 sprays from an atomizer, pour 2-4 oz gin straight into the glass, olive garnish and good to go with no dilution.
Why not the Vesper? 3 oz gin, 1 oz vodka, ½ oz Salers (originally Kina Lillet, but that's no longer made), and a lemon twist. Instead of Salers, Kina L'Avion d'Or or Cocchi Americano are options.
I like a perfect martini but with green chartreuse instead of the dry vermouth. Is that called something?
Re: Gin -Traditional martini: Thank you mentioning how to manage the vermouth… Over time I kept using less and less and would pour into shaker over ice and drain and then add the gin for just a hint of vermouth and then added my olive brine and olives …I think i came up with a hybrid lol.
So if I like my gin martini with a 2:1 ratio, do I say gin martini--wet? Also have you ever had a lemon peel and an olive in a gin martini?
Watching this with my bartender son. He says people ordering martinis are the worst, ridiculously picky and needy.
If the customer wants a drink a certain way, then that is the way you should do it. A machinist doesn’t decide that the engineer wasn’t really serious about a given measurement if he is worth anything at all. Bartenders are no different.
Me i just pick a gin and tell the bartender to go wild
Cause im one my self lmao
@@jasonji1900 Lol i found the ridiculously picky and needy customer
Eh that’s your job. Don’t become a bartender then idk what to say. First rule of business, the customer is always right. Second rule, refer to rule numero uno
As a former bartender and a martini lover, the martini is just one of THOSE drinks that demands complexity because of its simplicity. Unfortunately the drink is also a magnet for people that just love to complain. If they don't like your offering the first time, a nice person might ask you for a slight alteration or just order something else. It's the ones that keep complaining and sending it back...
I've been drinking gin Gibsons since the 80s and usually make mine at home because I know not many know what it is. I go out to have fun, not cause stress 🍸
I do love gin dirty martinis. I make a "perfect dirty martini" by halving the olive brine for Dolin sweet vermouth
I never knew about keeping Dry Vermouth in the fridge, does that apply to any other booze?
mostly fortified wines.
All vermouth and also Aperol. Anything under about 22% alcohol.
They have stoppers that evacuate oxygen, I use a lot of sherry, marsala, vermouth etc.. in cooking. You have to have a shelf that fits the bottle standing up is the only pain if you are used to just laying them down, but they work once per bottle then throw them away. I'm a home cook so I can't use enough of each to keep them really fresh although they would probably be ok laying down inside six months, also depends on how much air is in the bottle, some folks will move them down to smaller reusable bottles and label to reduce air contact.
Any cream liquors go in the fridge for me as well, not booze but falernum, and fruity stuff like fashinola gets the chill because mold although you may hear different.
Hey, nice work. I was wondering if ypu can review a product named Instant CO2 Glass Chiller. Tnx!
Why do you use orange bitters? It’s not part of traditional martini recipes right?
Yes it is, usually
I have a question, why can't you just shake without ice to get the airyness and then stir with ice
My favorite is a sapphire martini extra dry and a little dirty with blue cheese olives. I do a cap full of martini & rossi dry vermouth and about a bar spoon of olive brine. Vodka martinis are a no go for me. I need the botanicals of the gin or it feels too boring.
I'm not a fan of dirty, but I love a dirty Terroir Gin Martini. The gin taste like a pine wood forest and it goes very well together.
I keep the gin in the freezer and the vermouth and olives in the fridge. No need to add ice, zero dilution.
There’s a bar in London called The Duke that does that. There’s a two drink maximum due to the strength of the Martinis
@@TheEducatedBarfly Well, that is my limit too! I do it 2:1 and maybe will add 1 part of brine to make it dirty for the second one. BTW, over the past few months I fell in love with Broker's gin London Dry, veeery smooth. Highly recommended.
Great video. Are there other bottles we should be storing refrigerated, e.g. sweet vermouth, some other liquers, etc?
anything that has a wine base so not only vermouth but some vermouth Amaro blends such as punt e mes and any wine based aperitif like Capaletti and Cocchi americano
@@TheEducatedBarfly awesome, thanks for the reply!
I remember ordering drinks from
you at Coles! 🙌🏻
This was excellent!
Cheers 🍸
If you keep your gin in the freeze(I know, heresy) and your Vermouth refrigerated, when the Martini is shaken (my preference), the dilution is minimal and more importantly, the Martini is as cold as possible. Stirred and served in a room temp glass is a failure.
No drink served up should ever be served in a room temp glass. The best way to incorporate a freezer in a martini is to batch it in a bottle and stick it in the freezer THAT will make it as cold as possible. In the videos I used to use I chilled glasses for people to see the color the cocktail is supposed to be but have since stopped doing it
wet? extra dry? vesper? i feel like a few really popular ones were missing.
Incredible 😊 Thank you
Fantastic vid. Deserves to be the go-to martini vid on yt
hear! hear!
Since when did they start putting orange bitters in the martini?
Since the very beginning of the martini thats when
@@TheEducatedBarfly Mmmm Okay
Love your channel i truly follow all your drink recipes but when it comes to coffee it’s only Black Rifle!!!!
Why does “one dash of orange bitters” look like two, and two look like three? Is this some common technique I’m missing?
No reverse martini?
What no Vesper?
ordering a martini is either a cry for help or almost a dominance move. It takes time to properly make one and having to teach the bartender is why I stopped ordering them. my goto is a perfect sapphire martini stirred with 2 olives. but I only add a drop of each, swirl in the glass then dump and pour the gin over the olives for a more consistent taste. Also, the stirring should be in an elliptical pattern to avoid bruising the gin.
Nice production, although I would have liked a reference to the original Martini (like the Turf Club), and the fact that "The early recipes for the Martini...all called for sweet vermouth and Old Tom gin" (from the chapter on the Martini Cocktail in Dave Wondrich's "Imbibe!" reference on cocktail history). The Martini started with Italian vermouth which was sweet, not dry. I am saying this because I myself am Italian and I just cannot drink a Dry Martini (I have really tried to like it - and yes, even with a brand new bottle of dry vermouth). Italians seem to like things sweet (we even put sugar in our whipped cream!), but dry has become the standard in the anglosaxon world. That's as it should be, but it would have been nice with a nod to its Italian origin.
We already made that video. You can find it here: th-cam.com/video/zoPm3jZCrnE/w-d-xo.html
The rare first in!
OUCH!!! 23 seconds late....
@@TheSpiritoftheCocktail I just got lucky. Took advantage of the rare Thursday off. LOL
and what about Vesper?
great video, checks out with what i thought i knew. but can anyone tell me why in the world i've ordered a gin martini twice in the last month and had to clarify that i didn't want it on the rocks?
once was at a wedding reception, i'll give that guy a pass. but seems to me that chilled and neat is just the standard way to serve a martini. you shouldn't have to clarify 'not on the rocks.'
Because places are hiring beer and shot bartenders that don't know what a simple gin and tonic is, they cut citrus twice a week, and think a can of grapefruit juice (still in the can) from last week is good to go?
A lot of places just don't do cocktails really, or not right if they are off the menu of bottled mixes and flavored spirits.
I can easily one up you, my wife ordered an old fashioned and the "cherry" was a fucking black olive, the orange wedge was in a state of decomposition where it was cut last week. When I fished the suspicious looking cherry out I didn't taste the drink but I'll bet it had a healthy splash of soda water along with the ice dilution.
The server knew they had no idea what they were doing "back there" and just took it back like she expected it to happen. LoL
Other than rotten oxidized fruit juices which are more common than you would think, it's the strangest thing I have ever been served and they are still open to this day making money off shitty freezer aisle food, bottled beer, and shots.
I was expecting Vesper Martini... With so much Orange Bitters on the list.