Three Parts is a column inspired by the Jack Rose Society- a group of bartenders in Boston that set out to test classic cocktail recipes until they landed on their favourite iteration. The concept is simple- we ask three bartenders to provide their preferred recipe for one classic cocktail. This week we’re looking at the Martini.
Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Head Bartender, Clyde Common
Author- The Bar Book
2.5 oz Beefeater
0.5 oz Carpano dry vermouth
Served up with a twist
“…..for me, Carpano and Beefeater are the quintessential vermouth and gin flavors. I love them separately, I love them together, and with a lemon twist to tie them up, that’s just heaven in a glass.”
Kaitlyn Stewart
Head Bartender, Royal Dinette
Diageo World Class Canada Bartender of the Year, 2017
2oz Tanqueray 10
0.5oz Dolin dry vermouth
Whisper of Taboo Absinthe
Grapefruit zest
“I prefer my martini to be served extra cold, so shake the crap out of it and give me all the ice chips. But before you do, rinse the chilled down coupe with a whisper of absinthe and finish it off with a twist of grapefruit.
I personally really like the citrus notes of Tanqueray 10 and the underlined finish of liquorice root and chamomile. The Dolin dry vermouth also has a noticeable citrus peel nose and fresh pine finish. The absinthe rinse, for me anyways, ties it all together just adding that one extra step of depth and complexity. Finish it off with the zest of a fresh grapefruit, and boom, my perfect gin martini.”
Alex Day,
Co-Owners, Proprietors LLC
Death and Co., Honeycut, Nitecap, The Walker Inn, The Normandie Club
“Being forced to pick a favorite martini recipe is cruel! There’s a martini for every situation: heavy on the vermouth before dinner, a 2-to-1 with food, something a bit stiffer for all family occasions. Gin usually, but an Elyx vodka martini with a whisper of dry vermouth hits the spot after a long day. If pressed for only one choice, I’ll always be happy with a fifty fifty, and my combo is:
1.5 oz Tanqueray Ten
1.5 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1 dash Orange Bitters (2/3 Angostura Orange, 1/3 Regan’s)
Method: Stir in a frozen mixing glass with a lot of ice, strain into very very very cold cocktail glass. Lemon twist perfume over the top, but don’t you dare run the skin along the edge of the glass or I’ll cut you. Lemon twist resting on rim for me to dip a couple of times then discard. Heaven.
Tanqueray Ten happens to be my choice in this moment, but if pressed I’m equally passionate about a martini laced with Ford’s, Plymouth, or Sipsmith. Beefeater will never be kicked out of bed, nor will I scoff at classic Tanqueray. The point is, the martini is uniquely flexible; it’s not just the choice of base spirit, but the proportion of booze to vermouth, garnish, glassware, and preparation can lead you down very different, and equally delicious, paths.”
