The Martini Thread

[SirWanker]

David went behind the bar and found glasses and some ice and made two martinis.
"It tastes good, but terribly strong," the girl said.
"They are strong," David said. "But there's a strong wind today and we drink according to the wind."

Hemingway
On that note, let's stick to one definition of the martini cocktail: vermouth, gin/vodka and some sort of garnish. A drink with banana liqueur can never be a martini, neither can something with watermelon, peach purée or kiwi be. Depending on the brand of vermouth, gin, vodka and choice of garnish you can give the drink a different name: cocktail onions make it a Gibson and Gordon's, probably Stolichnaya) vodka and Kina Lillet make it a Vesper - nonetheless, these are all martinis.

A martini is either stirred or shaken, it is never served at room temperature nor 'on the rocks'. A purist would only drink a stirred gin-martini but James B. made the vodka-martini so popular that we can't really avoid it anymore. After said procedure, the cocktail is strained into a martini glass and the garnish is added.

An interesting ingredient I haven't mentioned thus far is bitters. A very common ingredient in the past, but I doubt many bartenders still know their use. The bitters usually used for a martini are Angostura bitters - add a dash of the stuff and you'll taste a significant difference!

To conclude: let's discuss the martini!

[SirWanker]

http://www.videoclix.tv/watch?v=wmgx3uti4091 (http://www.videoclix.tv/watch?v=wmgx3uti4091)

for a clip on how to create a proper martini. He uses a ratio of 2:1 ( gin:vermouth ) but I prefer 4:1 depending on my mood.

Gin VS Vodka?
I'll admit, gin is an acquired taste but again depending on my mood either will work.

[iconicrocket]

Vodka martinis put hairs on your chest. lol. Haven't tried Gin martinis yet, but they're pretty tasty I hear.

[froggy]

finally another thread that I can sink my teeth into, firstly the only martini's that should be shaken aren't really martini's they are more cocktails, since the reason you shake is to combine together 2 ingredients that don't readily mix, something that has syrup in it or other non clear ingredients. If you shake a classic gin and vermouth martini it will become cloudy. My preferred martini is the classic manhattan I like to make it out of 4 parts Rye and 1 part sweet red vermouth, and garnish with a cherry and sometimes i'll add a little bit of the juice too. For a regular martini I prefer a perfect martini with plymouth gin as opposed to the london gin ie beefeaters, bombay saphire, etc, and equal parts of both dry and sweet vermouth in a ratio of 4:1 with the 1 being half dry and half sweet vermouth. most of my martinis I prefer on the wetter side.

[Krazy]

Gin definitely is an acquired taste. But I think once u get it... you don't look back to vodka martinis...

Vodka is supposed to be tasteless.

Gin has more flavour but again... you need to grow to like it lol

[froggy]

Gin definitely is an acquired taste. But I think once u get it... you don't look back to vodka martinis...

Vodka is supposed to be tasteless.

Gin has more flavour but again... you need to grow to like it lol

The "flavour" in vodka is actually impurities from distillation not being removed, so expensive vodka which is distilled more times up to 6 or 7 times I believe is purer and more "tastless" then the cheap stuff you get at the lcbo for $10.

There are also 3 specific varieties of gin, and then again numerous recipies for each, within the 3 varieties, the major flavour that most gins have in common and which comes to the for front is Juniper. Juniper is a hard taste to describe, and I can't think of anything else to say about it lol, too early :(

[SirWanker]

There are also 3 specific varieties of gin, and then again numerous recipies for each, within the 3 varieties, the major flavour that most gins have in common and which comes to the for front is Juniper. Juniper is a hard taste to describe, and I can't think of anything else to say about it lol, too early :(

Well it smells like herbal pine.......

[froggy]

I forgot to mention the types of gin, London gin, London dry Gin, and Plymoth Gin. There's also something called Sloe Gin which is closer to the original dutch drink

[emcdonnell]

I prefer Tanquery Gin but I'm not that picky
I usually go for single malt scotch

[Go_Habs_Go]

I personally enjoy Bombay Sapphire Gin. Reasonably priced and a great taste!

As for Vodka, I always go for Grey Goose or Belvedere. Sometimes that Russian one, Stolynchnoya or however it's spelled, will also find it's way into my glass. :chuckle

I'm not a huge martini fan, but I will have the occassional one. Interesting to read other people's passion for the noble martini...