Christmas Break: Tanqueray No. 10 Dirty Martini
- Shaman J
- Jan 29, 2016
- 2 min read
The Martini...One of the most iconic, classy cocktails of all time. The Martini is a very clean, crisp, cold drink with a light crystal hue.
Two simple ingrediants make this drink, and in the world of bartending, there is a lot of contraversy on how this cocktail is to served.
Should its base spirit be gin or vodka? Shaken or Stirred? How much vermouth is to used? Orange bitters or no bitters? Is it to be garnished with an olive, a cocktail onion, or even a lemon peel? Do you have a headache yet?
When you order a Martini at a bar, be specific to the bartender what your preferences are.
A dry martini has just a splash or a "rinse" of dry vermouth in your coupe, and is mostly spirit garnished with a lemon peel. A dirty martini has some olive brine to give it a more bitter taste and is garnished with a few olives. A martini that is garnished with a cocktail onion is called a Gibson. Finally, a martini crafted with vodka is actually not considered a martini at all and is called a Kangaroo Kicker.
James Bond got it wrong when he insisted that he wanted his Martini to be shaken not stirred. If you shake the ingrediants of this cocktail it will have an unappealing foggy appearance. Since all the ingrediants that are being used are clear, if you stir over ice, the clearness of the spirits will remain in tact and be more visually appealing.
This is a heavy hitting cocktail. It is important to stir this cocktail over ice for a few seconds to help dilute the heavy punch it offers. It is also a cocktail that is to be sipped over a period of time. It is important to have your martini glass or coupe chilled in the freezer before serving to keep your drink cold for an extended period of time.
How I make my Dirty Martini:
2.5 oz. of good quality Gin
.5 oz of Dry Vermouth
Barspoon of Olive Brine
Stir over Ice
Strain in a chilled martini glass or coupe
Garnish with a few olives
~Shaman J.
Comments