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Cocktails

A Martini For Every Mood

April 20, 2022

Story: Punch Staff

photo: Lizzie Munro

Cocktails

A Martini For Every Mood

April 20, 2022

Story: Punch Staff

photo: Lizzie Munro

Here, 21 simple recipes for the timeless template.

Though the classic Martini recipe is a simple one—only two ingredients in its most austere form—it has inspired more debate than any other over the proper ingredients (gin or vodka?), ratio (wet or dry?) and garnish (olive or a twist?). More than a century’s worth of fine-tuning has resulted in a deep library of both classic and modern iterations that run the full gamut of both style and flavor. Some, such as the Alberto with its minimalist equal-parts build, value simplicity, while others, like Christine Wiseman’s Trash-Tini, take a kitchen-sink approach. Some veer floral and aromatic, as the Gin Blossom does, while others are unabashedly savory—MSG Martini, anyone? Here, our favorite takes on the timeless template.

Sherry Martini Recipe
Recipes

Lifetime Ban

A reverse Martini with a splash of sherry.

MSG Martini Cocktail
Recipes

MSG Martini

A twist on a classic dirty Martini.

Recipes

Fitty-Fitty Martini

Audrey Saunders' fashionably wet variation.

Recipes

The Bar’s House Martini

For the revamp of New York's iconic Four Seasons bar, Thomas Waugh developed this house Martini, which is pre-batched and pre-chilled.

Recipes

Ci Siamo Martini

A blend of two types of gin, two types of vermouth and two dashes of orange bitters.

Recipes

Sauvage Martini

An unusual, but elegant Martini.

Recipes

Sakura Martini

Bar Goto's house Martini with salted cherry blossom

Best Frozen Martini
Recipes

Bobby Heugel’s Freezer Martini

An archetypal London dry–style Martini.

Dukes Martini Cocktail Recipe
Recipes

Dukes Martini

Murderously dry and cold and cherished by some as the definitive expression of the Martini.

FAF Martini Recipe
Recipes

The F.A.F. Martini

The star of this Martini is a “barrel-rested” small-batch gin.

Allies Martini Cocktail Recipe
Recipes

Allies Cocktail

A 50/50 Martini dressed up with several dashes of savory-spicy Kümmel.

gin blossom cocktail recipe
Recipes

Gin Blossom

Julie Reiner's aromatic play on the Martini with apricot eau de vie, bianco vermouth and gin.

Beefsteak Martini Recipe
Recipes

Beefsteak Martini

Phil Ward's take on the Steakhouse Martini calls on both dry and bianco vermouth to complement the traditional gin base.

Vesper Vodka Martini Recipe
Recipes

Jelani Johnson’s Vesper

A vodka-forward rendition of James Bond's Martini of choice.

Dirty Martini Cocktail Recipe
Recipes

Trash-Tini

This kitchen-sink Martini variation features gin, vodka and charred onion-infused dry vermouth.

Alberto Martini Cocktail Recipe
Recipes

Alberto

A Martini-adjacent classic awaiting its comeback.

Astoria Martini Cocktail Recipe
Recipes

Astoria

Meet the inverted Martini.

Alaska Cocktail Recipe
Recipes

Jim Kearns’ Alaska

A Martini-style drink with less bite and a little more roundness.

Martini Recipe
Recipes

Flame of Love

Pepe Ruiz's spin adds flamboyant flair by expressing orange oil through a match flame for a dramatic finish.

goldfish cocktail recipe
Recipes

The Goldfish

A traditional Martini perked up with the addition of Goldwasser.

tuxedo no. 2 varnish la
Recipes

Eric Alperin’s Tuxedo No. 2

Eric Alperin's take on the 20th century classic.

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