the martinez cocktail
The Manhattan Cocktail Classic is coming up this friday. I’m very excited.
bad photo, tasty drink
Even though I won’t be getting there until Sunday I figure it’s still appropriate to enjoy something delicious and historical as I anxiously anticipate the fun. To me, this means a Martinez. The 1887 Jerry Thomas ’s Bar-Tender’s Guide has this using Boker’s Bitters, which I don’t have (although Scotland’s Adam Elmegarib has resurrected the name and I can’t wait to try them); as well as different ratios of gin to vermouth (pretty much opposite). Still, after experimenting with all sorts of different ratios and combinations; this is how I present my Martinez:
1 1/2 oz Hayman’s Old Tom, 1/2 oz Boomsma Oude Genever, 3/4 oz Dolin Rouge Vermouth, 1 tsp Luxardo Maraschino, 4 dasher’s house orange bitters and 1 dash Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters.
Rumor has it that the Hayman’s Old Tom (which I do love) is slightly different than the Old Toms the Martinez was first made with. Apparently the earlier versions found in America had a little bit of oak aging to them, giving them some almost whiskey-like notes. I like to add in a touch of the Boomsma to make the gin a bit more accurate (at time of photo a friend was looking at the bottle elsewhere, but it’s certainly in the mixing glass.) Believe that or not, it still makes for a fantastic cocktail. It’s one that encourages slow-sipping, and thought about the flavors opening in the mouth (that is until you realize you’ve drained the thing in moments).
This ought to get me through the next few nights. Come sunday I’ll be learning new tricks at New York’s largest cocktail celebration, and I can almost taste it. Or is that the Martinez again?