Martinez

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Cocktail History

The Martinez is a vintage cocktail that was created in the 1880s in Martinez, California. It’s considered a cross between the Manhattan and a classic Gin Martini because it’s traditionally made with gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and orange bitters.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Bombay London Dry Gin because it’s crisp and dry and it features a classic juniper flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.

Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge because it’s a high quality vermouth with notes of herbs, coriander, hyssop, rhubarb, and citrus. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Rosso in place of the sweet vermouth.

Maraschino Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with Maraschino cherries, honey, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Luxardo Maraschino Orginale Liqueur because it has a distinct earthy aroma and sweet cherry flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Trader Vic’s Premium Maraschino Cherry Syrup in place of the cherry liqueur.

Orange Bitters: This is a food product made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Orange Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. We used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. We used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Tasting Notes

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: The original recipe for the Martinez called for more vermouth, but we ended up using a little less because Alex prefers drier cocktails. Kendall thought this timeless beverage would be a great starter for anyone like her who hasn’t sipped on bitter drinks very much and is trying to develop their palate. All around it’s a very good gin drink that we’d make again.

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Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.

Take Our Quiz →

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.

The Art of Vintage Cocktails
The Art of Vintage Cocktails
Hardcover Book; Rosenbaum, Stephanie (Author); English (Publication Language); 108 Pages – 01/07/2014 (Publication Date) – Egg & Dart (Publisher)
$39.00

AuthorThe Art of Vintage Cocktails

Yields1 ServingPrep Time5 mins

Ingredients
 1 ½ oz Gin
 1 ½ oz Sweet Vermouth
 ¼ oz Maraschino Liqueur
 2 dashes Orange Bitters

Method
1

Add gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.

2

Stir for 30-45 seconds.

3

Strain into a cocktail glass.

Ingredients

Ingredients
 1 ½ oz Gin
 1 ½ oz Sweet Vermouth
 ¼ oz Maraschino Liqueur
 2 dashes Orange Bitters

Directions

Method
1

Add gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.

2

Stir for 30-45 seconds.

3

Strain into a cocktail glass.

Martinez

Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin, Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Rosso in place of the sweet vermouth, Trader Vic’s Premium Maraschino Cherry Syrup in place of the cherry liqueur, and All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.

Shop Glassware & Tools

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More Classic Cocktails

If you like this classic cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:

Manhattan Cocktail Recipe

Manhattan: A whiskey cocktail made with sweet vermouth, orange bitters, an orange peels, and a cherry

Boo Radley Cocktail Recipe

Boo Radley: A bourbon cocktail made with Cynar, cherry liqueur, a lemon peel, and an orange peel

Vesper Martini Cocktail Recipe

Vesper Martini: A gin and vodka cocktail made with Lillet Blanc and a lemon twist

Brooklyn Cocktail Recipe

Brooklyn: A rye cocktail made with dry vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and Amer Picon

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