Drink In History - The Martini

THE MARTINI

THE KING OF THE CLASSICS

By Lanee Lee

Sidling up to the bar at Hotel Valley Ho—an uber-hip hotel in old town Scottsdale, Arizona, with incredible mid-century architecture, makes you wonder. What did famous former Rat Pack guests, like Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, order? If they were headed out to the hotel’s palm tree-lined pool, bet money on a Cuba Libre or Mai Tai. But for a pre-dinner cocktail, there’s no other cocktail more synonymous with the glittering 50s and 60s than the Martini.

Why is the Martini still revered? American journalist H.L. Mencken referred to it as “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet.”

To start with, its aesthetics. From the V-shaped glass to the cool, crystalline liquid contents, the Martini is straight-up sexy. No surprise it was one of James Bond’s go-to drinks, as the 007 agent liked to order them, “shaken, not stirred.” And Hemingway, in his A Farewell to Arms novel, confirmed the feeling of refinement a Martini gives when he wrote, “They make me feel civilized.”

Furthermore, the recipe is simple and almost impossible to screw up: two to three parts gin and one-half part dry vermouth over ice, strain, and add your garnish of choice, usually an olive or lemon twist. Or both. There are some variations, as with any classic cocktail, such as the following: Dirty Martini made with olive brine; a Dry Martini with less vermouth; a Gibson with an onion garnish; a Kangaroo when vodka is swapped for gin; or a Vesper, another Bond favorite, made with gin, vodka, and Lillet vermouth. But in essence, the Martini is a wonderful two-trick pony of the best kind.

Who do we have to thank for this elegant slow sipper? Some say it was simply branding. In Europe, after Martini & Rossi came on the scene in the mid-1800s, people asked for a ‘Gin & Martini’ and it evolved to the abbreviated form, much like the Cosmopolitan became the Cosmo. In other theories, the Martinez (gin, bitters, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur) is the godfather of the Martini. Martinez has two origin stories: some credit Jerry Thomas, the legendary 19th century bartender and author of The BarTenders Guide; others report it was invented in the town of Martinez, California when a miner struck gold, walked into the local bar, and asked for a celebratory glass of champagne. Champagne wasn’t available so the bartender whipped up a creation with what he had in stock and called it the Martinez special.

And finally, supposedly a version was created (gin, vermouth, and orange bitters) in 1906 by barkeep Martini di Arma di Taggia for tycoon John D. Rockefeller at the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City. Rockefeller loved it so much, he named it “Martini” in honor of the bartender.

Whichever version you believe, what’s not up for debate is Martini’s iconic status, both in pop culture and the cocktail hall of fame. Next time you’re listening to Sinatra crooning, stir up a Martini in his honor, sit back, and feel fancy.

MARTINI

INGREDIENTS 3 ½ oz. gin ½ oz. dry vermouth Olive or lemon twist (for garnish)

PREPARATION Combine ingredients in a shaker. Shake and pour into a Martini glass. Garnish with olives or lemon twist.