How To Make The Perfect Vodka Martini
The vodka martini is a simple variation of the classic martini, which is made with gin and dry vermouth. Making the perfect vodka martini is a matter of taste, since it only contains two simple ingredients plus a garnish. Therefore, learning how to make a vodka martini the right way depends largely on the tastes of the individual drinking it.
Dharmag March 2016 Vodka Martini Cocktail Recipe: How To Make The Perfect Vodka Drink
Vodka Martini, also called Vodkatini, is the cocktail par excellence, the one drunk by the great writers of the early 1900s like Hemingway and Fitzgerald, the one made famous by James Bond, who wanted a Vodka Martini shaken not stirred. In short, its a cocktail that has bewitched the world from the moment in which it was mixed.
But why this pale Vodkatini is so popular? We are talking about vodka and dry vermouth mixed and then poured in a glass with a lemon rind, nothing exotic, nothing difficult.
The answer is crystal clear as this fantastic drink: its simplicity. And remember that this rule applies to the majority of cocktails: find the perfect balance of a few well-chosen ingredients and you will have a great drink.
It is a cocktail with a precise flavor, stylish, runs smooth and neat through the palate, but never too bold: to make it short its the perfect aperitif.
Vodka has a neutral flavor and only serves to reinforce the delicate herbal flavor of vermouth and the lemon zest, which must be crushed to release the essential oils, adds a delicious breath of aromas.
Thats all for today, there are no secrets for making the perfect Vodka Martini perfect, just follow the doses and remember the lemon peel and dont put olives inside, put them on a plate as snack, but not inside. And once you have practiced a couple of drinks, start changing the doses of vermouth to find the flavor you like more!
How Strong Is The Vodka Martini
The vodka martini follows suit with the gin martini, Manhattan, and other liquor-vermouth cocktails: They’re not light drinks. With an 80-proof vodka and the average vermouth in this recipe’s ratio, it mixes up to about 28 percent ABV . To put that into perspective, two martinis are stronger than a straight shot of vodka. Sip slowly and know your personal limit.
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Vermouth Wash For A Very Dry Martini
For people who prefer a very dry martini, use an extra dry vermouth wash the glass. To do this:
Should A Martini Be Shaken Or Stirred

Martinis and any other booze-forward cocktail for that matter should be stirred. Stirring produces a silky mouth-feel with precise dilution and perfect clarity, says Elliot Ball, co-founder of The Cocktail Trading Companys The Development Bar & Table in London. While shaking adds texture and aeration, changes the mouth-feel and binds ingredients that would readily separate with simple stirring.
How to properly stir a martini: Stir by twisting the bar spoon from the top so that that back of the spoon goes around the mixing glass evenly the ingredients come together, the cocktail chills, but the drinks components arent diluted with melting ice, and in turn doesnt get cloudy. The result is a clear, spirit-strong cocktail. That is until you make it dirty!
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My Favorite Dirty Martini
I have always loved olives, of any kind, and the idea of a dirty martini just sounded good. It wasnt until I had a good one that I was hooked.
A great dirty martini relies on the quality of its very simple ingredients. Your olives, the vodka, and the vermouth. If you shop quality in these departments then you already have gone more than halfway to a perfect dirty martini.
Best Vodka For A Vodka Martini
Determining the best vodka for your martini is, again, a matter of taste. Use an unflavored vodka of the best quality you can afford. While vodka is considered “tasteless,” different vodkas have subtle flavor differences. The key is finding a well-distilled vodka that is smooth and not harsh that has flavor notes you enjoy. Some good brands for a vodka martini include the following:
- Grey Goose is a French vodka distilled from winter wheat. It’s a very smooth vodka that makes silky martinis.
- Belvedere vodka from Poland is distilled from rye. It’s a smooth vodka that makes a polished martini.
- Chopin potato vodka is a potato vodka from Poland that’s good for people who are extra gluten-sensitive. It’s got good flavor and makes a tasty martini.
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The Perfect Vodka Martini Is Just A Pour Away
Sometimes simplicity can produce a delicious classic cocktail. The perfect Vodka martini can be mastered with these simple tips.
While James Bond might have his signature martini, others may disagree. As cocktail trends be and flow, classic cocktails can evolve. Still, a few simple tips can make a vodka martini be a sip of perfection.
Bob Nolet, Vice President of Marketing, Master Distiller at Nolet Spirits, has shared his expert insight on the best martini. Although this classic cocktail might not have infused syrups, vibrant colors or even overflowing garnishes, the simplicity should be celebrated.
Of course, the perfect vodka martini starts with a quality vodka. Since the cocktail only has a few ingredients, quality vodka is paramount.
Two parts this, one part that, all parts marvelous. #DrinkMarvelously
Ketel One Vodka
Here Are Some Simple Tips To Make The Perfect Vodka Martini
Dilution
Although it seems contradictory, dilution is important to a great vodka martini. When prepared properly a martini should never need ice. Its should be served straight up. The dilution happens when the martini is stirred.
Skip the shake
Although James Bond says shake, the perfect martini should be stirred. By stirring with the ice and vermouth, the martini will be chilled and all the ingredients will be incorporated.
Size matters
When youre using ice to chill the martini, use a big ice cube, like cocktail ice. The little slivers of the ice will help to chill and dilute. Crushed ice is not a good idea.
Fresh ingredients, including the vermouth
Since a martini is just a handful of ingredients, it is important to have a fresh bottle of vermouth on hand. Vermouth oxidizes, which ruins the flavor. If you havent used that bottle recently, it is best to get a new one. Also, store the vermouth in the refrigerator once its open.
The glass matters
Sure that Ina Garten martini glass is impressive, but a smaller martini glass is a better choice. The small glass helps to keep that martini chilled longer. Also, chill the glass first.
With all these expert tips, heres how to make the perfect martini.
The Ketel One Perfect Martini
Ingredients:
- 1.25 oz. Ketel One® Vodka
- 0.25 oz. dry vermouth
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How To Make The Best Martini
One of the greatest cocktails of all time isnt as simple as it appears. We deconstruct this vodka or gin-based classic drink to find the perfect martini recipe.
The classic martini is one of the most iconic cocktails in history. On paper its a simple double act of spirit and vermouth, however when you delve a little deeper its anything but straightforward. Wet or dry? Shaken or stirred? What does it all mean, and how do you make the best martini? We asked the experts
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What’s The Difference Between Olive Brine And Olive Juice
In the cocktail world, olive juice and brine tend to mean the same thing, but there is a difference. Olives produce juice, which is pressed out of the fruit to make products like olive oil and the brine for cured olives.
Many people prefer to use the brine that is in a jar of olives for dirty martinis. And why not? If you have olives, you have salty juice right there. It is a very convenient and cheap addition to the drink. Plus, with all the gourmet olives availablestuffed with everything from the standard pimento to blue cheese or jalapeñoeach brine brings a slightly different taste to the martini.
There are also many olive juices available that are designed specifically for the dirty martini. They can vary quite a bit in taste, though they’re interesting to explore. It may take some time to discover which bottled olive juice you like best, so keep trying. Dirty Sue is a favorite for many dirty martini devotees. You might also try the cocktail-worthy olive juices from Boscoli, Fee Brothers, Filthy, Fragata, or Stirrings.
Vodka Martinis Are Stirred Not Shaken

James Bond had it wrong. Shaking a classic martini – whether it’s made from vodka or gin – aerates this spirited cocktail too much, causes excess ice melt, and creates a martini of the wrong texture. You want your martini to have a silky texture that can only come from stirring. It’s always best to stir cocktails made from pure spirits such as a martini instead of shaking. Use a cocktail shaker for cocktails that incorporate fruit juices and syrups with alcohol, but not for drinks that are made from pure spirits as a vodka martini is.
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How To Make A Classic Vodka Martini
This is the classic recipe for a vodka martini. You can change or adapt it based on your own personal taste by adding more or less dry vermouth.
- 3 ounces high quality vodka
- 1 bar spoon extra dry vermouth
- Ice
Optional Vodka Martini Add
Some people like to add a few dashes of cocktail bitters to liven up a vodka martini. The bitters don’t impart bitter flavors. Rather, they add additional aromatics and help bring the cocktail ingredients together. Try one or two dashes of orange or cardamom bitters or just a dash or two of Angostura or Peychaud’s bitters for an interesting take on a vodka martini.
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More About How To Make A Martini With Vodka Recipes
HOW TO MAKE A VODKA MARTINI – A BEAUTIFUL MESS
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- Variation #1 – In a cocktail shaker or glass filled with ice, add the vodka and vermouth. Stir to combine then strain into your chilled glass. Squeeze the lemon rind over the top of the drink. Then add the rind to the drink.
- Variation #2 – Add the vermouth to your chilled martini glass and give this a couple of swirls so it coats the entire inside of the glass. Then pour out the vermouth. Add the vodka to the glass and top with the olive and olive juice.
HOW TO MAKE A MARTINI – BEST CLASSIC MARTINI RECIPE
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- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the gin or vodka and vermouth and stir for 30 seconds or shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
VODKA MARTINI RECIPE: HOW TO MAKE A VODKA MARTINI –
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CLASSIC VODKA MARTINI RECIPE – HOW TO MAKE A CLASSIC
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MY FAVORITE DIRTY VODKA MARTINI RECIPE FOR PERFECT
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VODKA MARTINI COCKTAIL RECIPE | HOW TO MAKE A VODKA …
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- Twist the peel over the cocktail, to release the oils, then drop into the drink as a garnish. Or Garnish with an olive.
HOW TO MAKE AN AWESOME VODKA MARTINI – DMARGE
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HERE’S HOW TO MAKE A VODKA MARTINI DIRTY I TASTE OF HOME
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How Many Classic Dirty Vodka Martinis Should I Drink
According to The Spruce Eats, “The vodka martini follows suit with the gin martini, Manhattan, and other liquor-vermouth combo cocktails: They’re not light drinks. With an 80-proof vodka and the average vermouth in this recipe’s ratio, it mixes up to about 28 percent ABV . To put that into perspective, two martinis are stronger than a straight shot of vodka. Sip slowly and know your personal limit.”
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Types Of Olives For Dirty Vodka Martinis
I use the bigger Spanish Queen pimento-stuffed olives. The smaller manzanilla olives are a good stand by, if you cant find the big Spanish ones. If you are feeling extra daring and want to really dirty things up, remove that pimento, and hand-stuff some bleu cheese into those Spanish olives!
Give an extra little splash of the olive juice to the top of your martini if you like it extra dirty.
Which Vermouth To Choose
Some classic cocktail books talk about French and Italian vermouth, which can be a little confusing, however French refers to dry vermouths, whereas Italian refers to sweet. You can use a sweet vermouth for a martini, but modern versions are always made with dry vermouth unless specified.
For London Dry style gins, such as Portobello Road or Beefeater, Tom Proud of Pleased To Meet You in Newcastle suggests a French vermouth like Noilly Prat . For more complex gins like Monkey 47 from the Black Forest of Germany, he reaches for Belsazar Dry, which not only shares a country of origin, but the gin can handle the sweeter notes of the Balsazar, creating a more rounded martini.
To help find the right gin for you, read our reviews of the best new-wave and classic bottles.
When it comes to vodka martinis, Chris Dennis of Disrepute in Soho, London, suggests looking to Lillet Blanc, which is technically an aromatised wine and not a vermouth at all. However, it shares a lot in common with a classic vermouth, and adds more character and subtle sweetness to a vodka martini than dry vermouths would.
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What Is A Martini
The basic building blocks of a martini cocktail are spirit and vermouth, which is a fortified wine flavoured with botanicals. The original martini was made with gin, which is why Mr Bond always specifies a vodka martini in his order. Both gin and vodka martinis are equally delicious, but youll find vodka variants more clean, neutral and less botanical. Whichever you use, make sure that your spirit has an ABV of 40% or higher so that its characteristics shine thorough in your finished martini.
Make Your Own Olive Brine

If your local market has an olive bar filled with gourmet olives, use them to make olive brine. It is effortless and allows you to customize the selection of olives, even adding a variety to a single jar.
The best part is that you are in control of the juice and can formulate it to suit your taste perfectly. This simple DIY project can save the die-hard dirty martini drinker a considerable amount of money. As a bonus, you also get a custom choice of olives for garnishing all of your martinis.
To make a basic brine, you will need 2 cups of green olives, 2 cups water, 1/2 cup dry vermouth, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 2 tablespoons salt. Any of these can be adjusted to taste as you perfect your recipe.
Place the olives in a glass jar with a tight-sealing lid. Recycled olive jars are a natural choice, and Mason jars work great as well.
Gently press the olives with the back of a wooden spoon firmly enough to release their juice. Try not to smash them as if you’re muddling fruit for a cocktail.
In a bowl, combine the other ingredients and mix well.
Pour the liquid over the olives until they are completely covered. Leave a little room for air at the top of the jar.
Seal the jar and shake it vigorously.
Refrigerate for at least one day and shake before using the juice.
If your juice gets a little low for the olives left in the jar, add more vermouth and give the mix a good shake.
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Additional Tips And Tricks For Creating The Perfect Martini:
- Make sure your glass is chilled
- Serve your martini in a small glass, it will help keep things cold longer. Bigger glasses tend to get warm quicker
- When stirring dont use crushed ice, use solid ice cubes instead. The more solid the ice the less dilution, plus the spirit will get colder quicker
- Vermouth oxidizes, so a fresh bottle really is the sign of a pro. A fresh bottle means fresh flavors. Always store your vermouth in the fridge
Heres the recipe for the perfect martini too in case you need!