A gin martini is the original martini — the vodka version came later. Three ingredients (gin, vermouth, garnish), stirred not shaken (despite Bond), served absolutely cold. Here's how to make it well, with a New Western gin like our Nopalera as the base.
Ingredients
- 2.5 oz Nopalera Gin
- 0.5 oz dry vermouth (Dolin, Noilly Prat, or Cocchi Americano)
- 1 dash orange bitters
- Lemon twist or three olives
- Ice for stirring
Method
- Chill a coupe or martini glass in the freezer for ten minutes minimum.
- Fill a mixing glass two-thirds with ice. Add gin, vermouth, and bitters.
- Stir for thirty seconds.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Express the lemon twist over the surface and drop it in. Or three olives on a pick.
Notes
Buy fresh vermouth. Vermouth is fortified wine; it oxidizes after opening. Refrigerate after opening, replace every two months. The single most common reason home martinis taste off.
Stir don't shake. Shaking dilutes a gin martini and clouds it. Stirring produces the cleaner texture that defines a classic.
Why a New Western gin. A London Dry gin (Beefeater, Tanqueray) is juniper-forward and crisp — the classic martini base. A New Western gin like Nopalera replaces some of the juniper bias with regional botanicals (prickly pear, citrus). The resulting martini is brighter, more sun-warmed, less dry than the London Dry version. Both are great. Different drinks.
Variations
- Dirty martini. Add 0.25–0.5 oz olive brine. Olives garnish.
- Dry martini. Less vermouth (just a rinse, or 0.25 oz).
- Wet martini. More vermouth (0.75–1 oz). Lower-proof, more aromatic.
- Gibson. Cocktail onions instead of lemon or olives.
Where to next
Shop Nopalera Gin, try our Negroni recipe, or compare to our vodka martini recipe.