Dickens Dry Martini
A dry and balanced gin cocktail ∙ Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 31.2% ABV ∙
The Dickens Dry Martini is a stirred cocktail of London dry gin and dry vermouth with a dash of orange bitters.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 75 mlDry vermouth 15 mlOrange bitters 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and discard
Tips
- Stir with ice for about 30 seconds, until the mixing glass is ice-cold to the touch; shaking would cloud the drink and water it down.
History
The Dickens Dry Martini is a Dry Martini 5:1 with a dash of orange bitters, served with nothing in the glass: a lemon twist is expressed over the surface for its oils and then discarded. The name puns on Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist — no olive, no twist.
The Dry Martini is widely traced to the Martinez, a sweeter gin-and-vermouth cocktail of the late 19th century, which dried out over the following decades as dry vermouth and London dry gin took over.
FAQ
What is the ratio for a dry martini?
Five to one in this recipe: 75 ml London dry gin to 15 ml dry vermouth, plus a dash of orange bitters. A "dry" martini traditionally means less vermouth relative to gin.
Is a dry martini shaken or stirred?
Stirred. Give it about 30 seconds with ice, until the outside of the mixing glass feels ice-cold. With no juice in the drink there is nothing to shake for, and shaking would only leave it cloudy and watery.
What glass is a dry martini served in?
A chilled martini glass, served up with no ice; the lemon twist is expressed over the top and discarded.
