Fresh Martini
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 32% ABV ∙
The Fresh Martini is a stirred gin cocktail built with Mastiha and white crème de menthe alongside bianco vermouth, served up in a coupe. Cool mint and a resinous, herbal Mastiha note ride over the gin's juniper backbone, with the vermouth softening the edges into a smooth, faintly sweet finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 60 mlMastiha liqueur 10 mlCrème de Menthe white 10 mlBianco vermouth 20 mlPeppermint bitters 2 dashes
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a mint leaf
Tips
- Pre-chill the coupe before straining — this build has no ice in the glass, so a warm coupe is the fastest way to flatten it.
- Bruise the mint garnish leaf lightly between your fingers before dropping it in to release its aroma without adding bitterness.
- Add the peppermint bitters last and taste, since the crème de menthe already supplies most of the mint character.
History
The Fresh Martini is a modern riff on the Martini created by a bartender at the Cabinet Room in London in 2015. It swaps in Greek mastiha liqueur and white crème de menthe alongside gin and bianco vermouth, turning the classic into a lighter, mint-cooled digestif-style pour rather than changing its basic gin-and-vermouth structure.
The Martini itself has a murky and widely disputed origin. It is generally traced to the Martinez, a sweeter gin-and-vermouth drink recorded in American bartenders' guides of the 1880s, though accounts differ on whether it was first mixed in San Francisco or in the town of Martinez, California, and by which bartender. By the early 20th century the drink had shed its sweeter, curaçao-laced style for the drier London gin and vermouth formula that defines the Martini family today.
FAQ
How do you make a Fresh Martini?
Stir London dry gin, Mastiha liqueur, white crème de menthe, and bianco vermouth with ice, along with a couple of dashes of peppermint bitters if using, then fine-strain into a pre-chilled coupe and garnish with a mint leaf. The stir chills and dilutes the mix without clouding it, which shaking would do.
What is the secret to a perfect Fresh Martini?
Pre-chilling the coupe and fine-straining matter most here, since this build is served with no ice in the glass to save it if poured warm. Balance the peppermint bitters carefully too, as the crème de menthe already supplies plenty of mint character on its own.
What are common mistakes when making a Fresh Martini?
The most common mistake is shaking instead of stirring, which clouds the drink and over-dilutes it. Over-pouring the peppermint bitters is another, since the crème de menthe already brings a strong mint note, and a warm, un-chilled coupe is a third, letting the drink lose its temperature fast once poured.
