Aviation
45 ml Gin, 15 ml Maraschino liqueur, 15 ml Lemon juice, 7.5 ml Crème de violette, 1 Maraschino cherry
Photo: Dry Martini-2 · All credits
Ingredients
Measures below are multiplied for 12 drinks. Unmeasurable amounts such as “a splash” are left as written.
- 720 ml Measuring jug A measuring jug: pour to the 720 ml line. Gin - London dry
- 120 ml Measuring jug A measuring jug: pour to the 120 ml line. Dry vermouth
- 12 twists Lemon twist (optional)
Measured in Millilitres (UK). Sign in to read these in American measures. Print a kitchen card at this size.
What the jigger, the spoons and the jug hold, in millilitres and in fluid ounces, is on the measures reference.
Quick version
- Add the gin and vermouth to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until the glass frosts, then strain into a chilled coupe.
- Twist the lemon peel over the top and drop it in.
Method
Batch (12 drinks)Batch (12 drinks) - about 840 ml of measured ingredients, before ice and dilution.
Timings and per-glass steps below are written for one drink and are not scaled. A full jug takes longer to chill, so stir or shake until it is properly cold rather than by the clock, and pour over fresh ice one glass at a time.
- Fill a mixing glass two thirds with ice.
- Pour in the gin and the dry vermouth.
- Stir for 30 to 45 seconds, until the outside of the glass frosts.
- Strain into a martini glass that has been chilling in the freezer.
- Express the lemon twist over the surface and drop it in.
Serve it
Volumes in this story are multiplied for the size above, along with the ingredients. Years, ratios and the capacities of glasses and jugs are left as written.
Gin Martini
The drink that taught the world to stir. Two ingredients, one piece of ice-cold equipment and a great deal of restraint - which is exactly why it is worth doing properly, and why everyone who makes one has strong opinions about how. Make yours the way you like it and let the rest of us get on with ours.
Getting it right
Freeze the glass and keep the vermouth in the fridge: a warm martini is a sad martini, and no amount of good gin will rescue it. Six parts gin to one of vermouth is a fine modern place to start. If you like it wetter, add another 60ml of vermouth; if you like it bone dry, rinse the glass with vermouth and tip the rest away. Stir for thirty to forty-five seconds, until the outside of the mixing glass frosts, then strain it and drink it straight away, because a martini waits for nobody.
Tasting notes
Ice-cold, resinous juniper with a bright citrus perfume and a clean, faintly savoury finish. Serve olives instead of the twist when you want it to lean towards dinner.
More Gin cocktails
Bee's Knees
50 ml Gin, 20 ml Lemon juice, 20 ml Honey syrup, 1 Lemon twist
Bramble
50 ml Gin, 25 ml Lemon juice, 12.5 ml Simple syrup, 15 ml Crème de mûre, 2 berries Blackberry