I like Martinis, and sometimes like 'em dirty. Either way, I order them with Vodka. Usually, I request Grey Goose.
I want to order them with gin. A gin martini would ‘feel’ right to me. I feel like that’s the way I am supposed to enjoy a Martini (yeah, yeah, yeah… I should order them as I like, even if it means vodka).
But… how can I even begine to compare when I am gin ignorant?
Do I request a particular gin? Is there such thing as house gin? If there is, my instincts and style say, “Gasp, never order the house gin!”. Okay, I order decent vodka – not necessarily top-shelf-super-duper-expensive vodka, but pretty good vodka.
So, help me order my standard martini with gin and my dirty martini with gin. What are some decent/respected gins that won’t set off those alarms at the bar/restaurant that sound like this: “Oh my god, that dude just ordered a martini with ass-wipe gin so we know he is a corporate douchebag or some other loser! AHAHAHA!”
Yes, Bombay Sapphire (at least). The key to a good gin martini is to make it without ice: the ice waters it down. In order to do so, you need to chill your gin. Most bars don’t keep their gin in the freezer, so it’s much easier to make a good martini at home.
Bombay Saphire and Hendricks are the two best gins on the market that are pretty much standard in most establishments. If you can find it you should try Junipero gin from Anchor Distilling. (This is the distilling arm of Fritz Maytag’s Anchor Brewing.) It is produced in small quantities and is not easy to find but it oh boy is it wonderful.
Plymouth is my favorite overall, followed by Hendricks, Bluecoat and Junipero. Bombay Sapphire is pretty good for a regular every day gin though.
I suspect that a little dilution is intended in a good martini, but aeration isn’t. Which is why James Bond’s “shaken, not stirred” has to be said, since martinis are traditionally stirred.
I’ve never understood how vodka drinks are considered “martinis” at all. I mean, the gin (or vodka) is the overwhelming majority of the drink. Is there anything a gin martini and a vodka martini have in common, besides a splash of vermouth and being served in a conical glass with a stem?
I personally prefer Hendricks for my dirty martinis. I know several folks who like Bombay Dry over Sapphire for martinis. I like Tanqueray for G&Ts myself.
My preferred gin is New Amsterdam, of all things. I don’t know that it’d be any good with an olive tossed in there since it’s so citrusy, but then again gin and tonic is my usual gin drink. We like to keep Hendricks around as well, which seems better suited to this kind of application.
Another vote for Plymouth as a top quality Gin. What’s more, it’s very versatile and is good for more than just a martini. Hendricks is great but I think it makes for a lousy martini, it’s much better for a G&T. I don’t have anything against Sapphire, but it is far from my favorite and would gladly take regular Bombay in a martini over it. Beefeater is also very good, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, but it’s a bit aggressive and might take some getting used to. It’s also better as a G&T than as a martini IMO. The nice thing about Gin is that every brand has its own unique flavor amd you can spend a lot of time exploring.
All of the above mentioned Gins are easy to find most places.
Here is a link to a thread I started a few years ago when I started exploring the subject.
You want ice. You NEED ice. Ice is intergral to the martini experience. It’s those little slivers of ice that float through the strainer that open up all the beautiful flavors of the gin and make it a martini!
Next you are going to tell me that you just open a bottle of vermouth and place it next to the glass. That isn’t a martini, it’s gin straight up with an olive.
For anyone who has never had a proper matini (made with gin and both vermouth AND ICE!) try one. They are very good.
I am so with you. The best part of a Martini is the lovely, lovely ice slick on the top. I hate it when I get one made by an incompetent bartender who didn’t shake it properly and there’s no ice slick.
You don’t want it just to be cold. The ice is part of the drink. Otherwise, it’s not a Martini.
For what it’s worth, Hendrick’s is a cucumber infused gin and it’s often served with a cucumber slice as garnish (probably with olives too). Bombay Sapphire is a very good “standard” gin. Hendrick’s is my favorite but you can’t go wrong with either one.
When I was in college many years ago. There was a class of drinks called shooters. They were basically strong drinks with vodka, gin or light rum with very little in the way of lower alcohol mixers things like lemon drops etc. Now starting about 10 or so years ago these same drinks are listed under the martini section of the menu and are served in conical glasses instead of large shot glasses.
I hardly ever see Hendrick’s in a bar. I don’t go to fancy places. It is conspicuous in its presence when I see it.
Where have you been? These days, a *tini means it is served in a martini glass, and may likely contain vodka but not gin. Hence appletinis and the ilk. :rolleyes:
Does the thought of Hendrick’s plus tons of olive juice squick anyone else out? And I prefer to taste the cucumber, which makes it better with cucumber garnish or a Gibson. I also like Hendrick’s Collins etc.
Yeah, which is one of the reasons why I don’t like it for a martini. I like my martini’s with an olive and do not like olive and Hendrick’s. It’s not bad with a twist, but if I am getting a martini I am probably looking for that olive flavor and not asking for a twist. The Hendricks website recommends garnishing with a cucumber slice, which I tried once at home and it was fine, but I don’t know of any bars that keep cucumber garnishes on hand.