Martini

The most iconic cocktail in existence. Gin, vermouth, and eternal debate over ratios and garnishes. Stirred, shaken, dirty, dry—however you take it, it's always sophisticated.

The Martini's origins are contested, but the clearest paper trail places it in American bar manuals of the 1880s. Harry Johnson's 1888 New and Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manual is among the first to use the name 'Martini Cocktail,' listing Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, bitters, and curaçao. The drink likely evolved from an earlier cocktail called the Martinez, associated with California's Gold Rush bars of the 1860s. By 1922, the modern form — London dry gin and dry vermouth — had crystallized, and the vermouth-to-gin ratio has been steadily declining ever since. During Prohibition, the martini's popularity surged because gin was easily produced illicitly. By mid-century it had become the defining symbol of American sophistication — immortalized by James Bond, celebrated at Mad Men-era power lunches, and referenced by Winston Churchill, who reportedly preferred his vermouth as a whisper rather than a pour.