The recipe
for your table
Chill the martini glass with ice or place it in the freezer beforehand.
Fill a mixing glass with ice and add the gin and vermouth.
Stir for 30 seconds until the mixture is ice-cold—stirring keeps the cocktail clear.
Strain into the chilled glass and garnish with a lemon zest or olive.
The story
The origins of the Martini have been debated for generations. Did it emerge in California during the Gold Rush as the “Martinez,” or does it owe its name to the Italian vermouth maker Martini & Rossi? What is certain is that the cocktail took its definitive form in the early twentieth century and became only “drier” in the decades that followed: more and more gin, less and less vermouth. Ernest Hemingway, Winston Churchill, and countless Hollywood stars helped build its legend. One rule has always remained: a Martini should be served ice-cold.
The right glass
There is only one right choice for a Dry Martini: the classic martini glass with its cone-shaped bowl on a long stem. The stem keeps your hand from warming the drink, while the wide opening gives the aromas of gin and lemon plenty of room. Choose a compact size of 19 to 21 cl—a Martini should be small and ice-cold, not large and lukewarm. Our range includes both sleek modern and art deco-inspired designs. Looking for a smaller glass that is less likely to spill? Take a look at our Nick & Nora glasses.
RCR Timeless Martini Glass 21 cl (6 pieces)
Onis Spksy Martini Glass 19 cl (6 pieces)
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Variations & twists
From “wet” (more vermouth) to “bone dry” (hardly any vermouth), with an olive or a twist: the Martini is customizable. A Dirty Martini gets a splash of olive brine, while a Gibson gets a cocktail onion. Always ask guests about their preference—the conversation is part of the ritual. Looking for more inspiration? Browse all 80 cocktail recipes.
Servingtip
Keep your gin in the freezer and your martini glasses in the refrigerator. Rub the rim of the glass with lemon zest before pouring—the first aroma makes all the difference.
The gin-to-vermouth ratio
Six centiliters of gin to one centiliter of dry vermouth is 6 to 1, which is already fairly dry by modern standards. Around 1900, equal parts were still used; over the decades, the vermouth kept decreasing. If you really want to taste the vermouth, 5 to 1.5 or even 4 to 2 is a good choice, producing a pleasantly herbal martini. One important detail: dry vermouth is wine and oxidizes. Store the bottle in the refrigerator after opening and use it within a month, or you will mainly taste vinegar.
Shaken or stirred
Stir for thirty seconds—and there’s a good reason for that. Shaking aerates the cocktail and breaks off tiny shards of ice, making the martini cloudy and robbing it of its silky texture. In a drink made of nothing but gin and vermouth, you notice that immediately. Stir with plenty of ice in a mixing glass until the outside frosts over; this dilutes the drink by about twenty percent, just enough to tame the alcohol. The shaken version certainly exists and has its fans, but then you are consciously drinking a colder, slightly more watery, frothy martini.
Wet, dry, and bone dry explained
These terms all refer to the amount of vermouth. Wet means generous: roughly 4 cl of gin to 2 cl of vermouth, so the herbs and subtle sweetness clearly play a role. Dry is the standard for this recipe, 6 cl to 1 cl. Bone dry or extra dry goes even further: simply rinse the glass with vermouth, or briefly hold the bottle beside it, as Churchill is said to have done. A perfect martini is something else again and uses equal parts dry and sweet vermouth. When ordering in a bar, it pays to ask for wet or dry.
Dry Martini, Vesper, or Gibson
Three stirred gin classics that are easily confused. The Gibson is exactly the same Dry Martini with a cocktail onion instead of an olive or zest; the onion adds a light acidity and a savory aroma. The Vesper from Casino Royale uses 6 cl gin, 2 cl vodka, and 1 cl Lillet Blanc, is shaken, and is therefore colder and softer in its herbal character. The Dirty Martini gets a splash of liquid from the olive jar and becomes cloudy and briny. The structure remains the same: plenty of gin, something aromatic, served ice-cold.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Dry Martini?
Gin and dry vermouth—in this recipe, 6 cl gin to 1 cl vermouth—stirred with plenty of ice and garnished with a lemon zest or a green olive. That's all there is to it: the quality here depends entirely on the temperature, the ratio, and the pre-chilled glass.
What is the correct gin-to-vermouth ratio?
Six parts gin to one part vermouth is the modern standard. If you want it wet, move toward 4:1; bone dry means little more than rinsing the glass with vermouth. Ask your guests about their preference, because that conversation is part of the ritual.
Should you shake or stir a Dry Martini?
Stir it. Stirring for thirty seconds with plenty of ice makes it ice-cold and keeps the cocktail crystal clear, while shaking introduces air bubbles and makes the drink cloudy and sharper. Only those who deliberately want a hazier, more vibrant-looking martini deviate from the classic method.
Which glass do you use for a Dry Martini?
The classic martini glass has a cone-shaped bowl, preferably holding 19 to 21 cl. The long stem keeps your warm hand away from the drink, while the wide opening allows the gin and citrus aromas to unfold. Small and ice-cold is the guiding principle: see our martini glasses.
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