Cherry Martini
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 30.5% ABV ∙
The Cherry Martini is a stirred gin cocktail of London dry gin, cherry liqueur, dry vermouth and orange bitters, served up in a martini glass. Juniper leads first, then dark cherry sweetness settles in, with a dry vermouth backbone keeping the finish crisp rather than syrupy.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 45 mlCherry liqueur 20 mlDry vermouth 15 mlOrange bitters 2 dashes
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and/or a lemon twist
Tips
- Stir, do not shake, with large ice for about 20-30 seconds so the gin, cherry liqueur, and vermouth stay clear and silky rather than cloudy and over-diluted.
- Measure the cherry liqueur carefully since it carries most of the sweetness at only 20 ml against 45 ml gin; a heavy pour tips the drink from spirit-forward to cloying.
- Add the orange bitters directly into the mixing glass before stirring so they integrate fully rather than floating on top after straining.
- Express the lemon twist's oils over the surface of the drink before dropping it in, then add the maraschino cherry last so it doesn't bleed color into the clear stir.
FAQ
What is a Cherry Martini?
A Cherry Martini is a stirred gin cocktail made with London dry gin, cherry liqueur, dry vermouth, and a touch of orange bitters, served up in a Martini glass. It leans on gin rather than vodka, which keeps a juniper backbone under the cherry sweetness, and is garnished with a maraschino cherry and a lemon twist.
What's in a Cherry Martini?
London dry gin, cherry liqueur, and dry vermouth form the core, with a couple of dashes of orange bitters rounding it out. It's stirred over ice and strained up into a chilled Martini glass, then finished with a maraschino cherry and a lemon twist.
How do I make a Cherry Martini?
Combine the gin, cherry liqueur, dry vermouth, and orange bitters in a mixing glass with ice and stir for about 30 seconds, then strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lemon twist. Stirring rather than shaking keeps the drink clear and silky instead of cloudy.
Is a Cherry Martini shaken or stirred?
Stirred. All the ingredients here are spirits and fortified wine with no juice or syrup to aerate, so stirring chills and dilutes the drink while keeping it clear.
What glass is a Cherry Martini served in?
A Martini glass, served up with no ice. The drink is fine-strained cold, so the glass carries no ice to dilute it further.
What's the difference between a Cherry Martini and a Cherry Bomb cocktail?
A Cherry Martini is a stirred, gin-based drink built on cherry liqueur and dry vermouth in the style of a classic Martini. A Cherry Bomb is a different, usually shaken and sweeter cherry-flavored cocktail or shot, often built around vodka or whiskey rather than gin, so the two share a fruit but not a formula.
