Cocktail Hour – Classic Martini

My favorite drink is the classic, extra-dry Martini.

The secret to a good Martini, or any gin-based drink, is to store the gin at room temperature and to stir, not shake the cocktail. Gin is an infusion and gets its flavor from botanicals so it's easily bruised by extreme cold or rough treatment.

I use Beefeater in my cocktails as it's a good, dry gin perfect for mixing. Gins like Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire have strong flavors that are overpowering in classic cocktails.


My Classic Martini Recipe

• Fill cocktail glasses with water and ice. Set aside to chill.


• Add ice cubes to your cocktail shaker and pour in one dash of Dry Vermouth for each glass


• Pour in gin and stir with a cocktail stirrer or similar. Do not stir for more than 20 seconds. The drink mix should be transparent and a tiny bit viscous.


• Dump out ice in the glasses


• Strain drink into glasses immediately after stirring - the worst thing you can do to any drink is to leave it sitting in the cocktail shaker so the ice starts to melt and dilute your carefully mixed flavor.


• Add classic cocktail olives and enjoy.