Martinez

About the Martinez

Often called the ancestor of the modern martini, the Martinez pairs Timber Creek Florida Gin with a generous pour of Dolin Sweet Vermouth, a touch of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, and a couple dashes of Boker’s bitters, finished with an orange twist. It stirs up rich and slightly sweet compared to a dry martini, with the maraschino’s cherry pit note threading through the vermouth’s dried fruit character. Because sweet vermouth makes up nearly half the pour here, at 1.5 ounces against 1.5 ounces of gin, the gin needs a clear enough botanical profile to still register as more than background support. Timber Creek Florida Gin holds its own thanks to the distillery’s PureBlend process, distilling and aging each grain component separately before blending, which produces a gin with a clean juniper and citrus backbone that comes through clearly even against a heavier vermouth pour and a dash of maraschino sweetness.

To build the Martinez, add the bitters, vermouth, gin, and maraschino liqueur to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled and properly diluted. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange twist, expressed over the top to release its citrus oils before either dropping it in or setting it aside. This cocktail suits a classic aperitif spread: olives, roasted almonds, charcuterie, parmesan crisps, or smoked salmon all work well alongside its rich, slightly sweet profile. It makes a good starter cocktail before a meal, since its vermouth forward character stimulates the appetite without being too heavy.

Vermouth styles and specific bottlings can shift a Martinez’s sweetness and herbal character noticeably from bar to bar [VERIFY: confirm Dolin Sweet Vermouth remains the house standard]. As always, this cocktail is intended for guests 21 and older, best enjoyed slowly before a meal rather than throughout one, since its higher vermouth ratio can make it feel gentler than it actually is.

Often called the ancestor of the modern martini, the Martinez pairs Timber Creek Florida Gin with a generous pour of Dolin Sweet Vermouth, a touch of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, and a couple dashes of Boker’s bitters, finished with an orange twist. It stirs up rich and slightly sweet compared to a dry martini, with the maraschino’s cherry pit note threading through the vermouth’s dried fruit character. Because sweet vermouth makes up nearly half the pour here, at 1.5 ounces against 1.5 ounces of gin, the gin needs a clear enough botanical profile to still register as more than background support. Timber Creek Florida Gin holds its own thanks to the distillery’s PureBlend process, distilling and aging each grain component separately before blending, which produces a gin with a clean juniper and citrus backbone that comes through clearly even against a heavier vermouth pour and a dash of maraschino sweetness.

To build the Martinez, add the bitters, vermouth, gin, and maraschino liqueur to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled and properly diluted. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange twist, expressed over the top to release its citrus oils before either dropping it in or setting it aside. This cocktail suits a classic aperitif spread: olives, roasted almonds, charcuterie, parmesan crisps, or smoked salmon all work well alongside its rich, slightly sweet profile. It makes a good starter cocktail before a meal, since its vermouth forward character stimulates the appetite without being too heavy.

Vermouth styles and specific bottlings can shift a Martinez’s sweetness and herbal character noticeably from bar to bar [VERIFY: confirm Dolin Sweet Vermouth remains the house standard]. As always, this cocktail is intended for guests 21 and older, best enjoyed slowly before a meal rather than throughout one, since its higher vermouth ratio can make it feel gentler than it actually is.