Queen Martini
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 20.4% ABV ∙
The Queen Martini stirs equal parts London dry gin, dry vermouth and sweet rosso 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 30 mlDry vermouth 30 mlRosso vermouth 30 mlOrange bitters 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with an orange twist and/or olives
Tips
- Add the orange bitters as a single dash and taste; it's meant to season the vermouths, not dominate them.
- Stir the gin and both vermouths over ice for about 30 seconds, until the drink is cold and softened with a little water.
History
The Queen Martini is an equal-parts version of the Perfect Martini, the gin cocktail made with both dry and sweet vermouth. Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930, recorded this style under the name "Medium Martini," splitting its vermouth evenly between French (dry) and Italian (sweet) styles rather than using only one.
The "Queen" name comes from David A. Embury's 1948 book The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, in which he noted that the same drink, made with equal parts gin, French vermouth, and Italian vermouth, was also called the Queen, alongside other names such as Somerset for related proportions. Later reference guides adopted "Queen Martini" as the name for this equal-parts build, distinguishing it from the standard Perfect Martini, which is typically gin-forward with only smaller equal measures of the two vermouths.
FAQ
What is a Queen Martini?
A stirred Martini of equal parts gin, dry vermouth and sweet vermouth. With twice as much vermouth as gin, it is softer and less boozy than a gin-forward Martini, at about 20% ABV.
What is in a Queen Martini?
Equal parts London dry gin, dry vermouth and rosso vermouth, 30 ml each, plus a dash of orange bitters.
How do you make a Queen Martini?
Stir the gin, both vermouths and the orange bitters with ice for about 30 seconds, until cold and softened with a little water. Fine-strain into a chilled martini glass and finish with an orange twist, olives, or both.
