Cocktail · Spirit-forward
Martinez
Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino — the missing link between Manhattan and Martini.
How to order it: The 1880s spec. Stirred, coupe, lemon twist. History you can drink.
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The recipe
- 1½ oz Old Tom gin
- 1½ oz sweet vermouth
- ¼ oz maraschino liqueur
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- Stir; coupe; lemon twist
The story
The Martinez is the Martini's most plausible ancestor, and its origin is contested in the grand manner. Legend credits Jerry Thomas, the celebrity bartender of Gold Rush San Francisco, mixing it for a traveler bound for the town of Martinez; the town, naturally, claims a bartender of its own. What is certain is that the drink appeared in print in the 1880s, built on Old Tom gin and sweet vermouth with a maraschino accent, and that as vermouth dried out and gin sharpened, the Martini emerged from its silhouette. It endures as the missing link drinkers can actually taste: a Manhattan and a Martini mid-handshake.
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