The Murky History of the Martini
A martini is arguably the most classic drink you can order in America. What really put the martini on the map is when James Bond famously stated that everyone has their own preference in how they like it prepared. Whether you like yours shaken or stirred, extra dirty or dry, or with vodka or gin, the sky's the limit when it comes to enjoying this timeless cocktail. While the origin of most classic cocktails can be traced back to a bartender, the history of the martini is a bit more muddled with one interesting and peculiar theory standing out above the rest.
One version of the murky history of the martini
Of the half a dozen ideas behind the history of the martini, one that has stood out among the rest is of a lucky man in the 1800’s. According to April Fulton from NPR’s The Salt, the best-known origin theory is that a miner struck gold in California during the gold rush and walked into a bar asking for a special drink. The bartender crafted a cocktail using the ingredients he had on hand (vermouth and gin) and termed it the Martinez, after the town they were in.
The City of Martinez, California stands behind that story and goes further to state that this happened in 1849 and the man initially asked for champagne, which the bar didn’t have. As an alternative, the bartender whipped up something he coined the “Martinez Special” which has been attributed to today’s classic martini.
Dash of bitters
2 dashes maraschino liqueur
1 pony Old Tom gin
1 wine glass vermouth
1/4 slice lemon
Mix all ingredients, except lemon, in a shaker with cracked ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Note: Original recipe advised adding two dashes of "gum (sugar) syrup, if the guest prefers it very sweet."
How the martini gained popularity
As legend has it, the miner returned back to his home in San Francisco and requested the Martinez at a local bar. In order to make the drink, the bartender asked him to provide the ingredients, and the rest is history. Because so many people loved the concoction, the popular cocktail spread and was published in the Bartender’s Manual in the 1880’s. Throughout the years this cocktail has remained one of the most popular drinks in high society.
A few iconic moments stand out for the martini over time. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, a “three martini lunch” was quite cosmopolitan for business people looking for a midday buzz. In popular culture, the martini “shaken, not stirred” was James Bond’s go-to vice. While this cocktail is technically a throwback, it’s never strayed far from the limelight. In fact, Drinks International ranked the dry martini fourth on their list of the world’s best-selling classic cocktails in 2021.
Mahón Gin makes delicious martinis
If you’re looking for an amazing spirit to craft your next martini, look no further than one of the best gins available, Mahón. In fact, Mahón took home first place this year in the gin martini category by Tastings. According to them, “Mahón’s ‘classic, bold’ flavors deliver ‘high impact juniper and minerality’ with ‘great floral taste and great mouthfeel’ that James Bond would approve of”. This award-winning gin had an amazing year in 2020, when it also took home two gold medals, one in the USA Spirits Ratings and one in the Bartender Spirits Awards. Learn more about Mahón gin and where you can buy a bottle for your next martini by clicking here.
Another exciting story for Mahón Gin was a recent search for the ultimate freezer martini put out by PunchDrink. William Elliott, of Maison Premiere crafted a delicious cocktail using Mahón Xoriguer and it took third place! According to PunchDrink, The batched version of the unusual, but elegant, Martini—well known to regulars at Sauvage—was made with 5 1/2 parts of the very-juniper-forward Spanish gin Mahón Xoriguer, 1 part of the Italian fortified wine Luli Moscato Chinato, 1 part water and several dashes of orange bitters. The judges found it strong and fresh-tasting, with a long, floral finish. Frizell described it as tasting “Provençal.”
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