Vodka Martini
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 29.8% ABV ∙
The Vodka Martini is the classic Martini made with vodka instead of gin: vodka stirred with a little dry vermouth, served up in a chilled martini glass.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Vodka 75 mlDry vermouth 10 ml
- Strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use it as a garnish and/or adorn with an olive on a skewer
Tips
- Stir with plenty of ice until the mixing glass is frosted; with only 10 ml of vermouth, dilution is what softens the vodka.
- Express the lemon twist over the surface so its oils sit on top; an olive on a skewer, alongside or instead, gives a savory finish.
History
The Vodka Martini emerged as a variation on the classic gin Martini once vodka gained a foothold in the American market in the 1930s. A Smirnoff brochure from that decade already featured recipes for a "vodka martini cocktail," making it one of the earliest documented appearances of the drink under that name. In 1943, Oscar Haimo, head bartender at the Pierre hotel in New York City, published a similar vodka-and-vermouth drink he called the "Kangaroo Kicker" in his book Cocktail Digest. David A. Embury's 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks later listed the same combination simply as a vodka martini. Ted Saucier's 1951 guide Bottoms Up has also been credited as an early published reference to the drink, though the Smirnoff brochure predates it.
The Vodka Martini's popularity accelerated through the 1950s as Smirnoff pushed vodka into the mainstream American market with heavy advertising, positioning it as a neutral spirit that left no telltale smell on the breath. Its image was cemented in the 1960s when Ian Fleming's James Bond began ordering vodka Martinis on screen, starting with Dr. No in 1962. That shift is widely credited with pushing vodka Martinis ahead of gin ones in popular taste.
FAQ
What is a vodka martini?
The classic Martini made with vodka instead of gin. Vodka is stirred with a small amount of dry vermouth, strained into a chilled martini glass and finished with a lemon twist, an olive or both.
What is a martini with just vodka called?
A Vodka Martini. Made with no vermouth at all, it is often called a "bone-dry" Vodka Martini.
What is the ratio for a vodka martini?
About 7.5 to 1: 75 ml vodka to 10 ml dry vermouth. That is drier than the classic 2:1 or 3:1 Martini ratios, so the drink is mostly cold vodka with a trace of vermouth.
Is a vodka martini just straight vodka?
No. A small amount of dry vermouth is standard; this recipe uses 10 ml to 75 ml of vodka, enough to add a note without making the drink taste of vermouth.
How to make the best vodka martini?
Stir the vodka and dry vermouth over a full glass of ice until the outside of the mixing glass frosts over. With this little vermouth, the melted ice is what softens the vodka. Strain into a chilled martini glass, then express a lemon twist over the top or add an olive on a skewer.
