Vodka Martini
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 32.3% ABV ∙
The Vodka Martini stirs vodka with a small measure of dry vermouth, strained into a chilled martini glass — the gin original, in vodka. Cold and clean, the vodka's slight sting softened by a whisper of vermouth, finishing crisp with a bright lift of lemon oil.
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
- Pre-chill the glass before straining so the drink doesn't warm the moment it's poured.
- Stir, don't shake — stirring keeps the vodka silky and clear instead of clouded with ice shards.
- Express the lemon twist over the surface first to release its oils, then decide if it's twist or olive as the garnish.
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, created a similar vodka-and-vermouth drink he called the "Kangaroo Kicker," published 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 1952 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, who in the earlier novels favored a gin Martini, began ordering vodka Martinis on screen starting with Dr. No in 1962, a shift widely credited with pushing vodka Martinis ahead of gin ones in popular taste.
FAQ
What is a vodka martini?
It is a stirred cocktail of vodka and a small amount of dry vermouth, strained into a chilled martini glass and finished with a lemon twist or an olive. It is essentially the classic Martini made with vodka in place of gin, and this build leans heavily vodka-forward with only a touch of vermouth.
What is a martini with just vodka called?
It is simply called a Vodka Martini. Some bartenders also call an all-vodka pour with no vermouth at all a "vodka martini, bone dry" or, informally, a Kangaroo, though this build keeps a small amount of dry vermouth.
What is the ratio for a vodka martini?
This build uses a heavily vodka-forward ratio, about 7.5 parts vodka to 1 part dry vermouth, stirred with ice and strained up. That is drier than the classic 2:1 or 3:1 Martini ratios, giving a cleaner, more spirit-forward pour.
Is a vodka martini just straight vodka?
No, a small amount of dry vermouth is standard, even if the pour is light. This build adds just enough vermouth to round the vodka's edge without making the drink taste of it, keeping the result crisp rather than sharp.
What is a vodka martini without vermouth called?
A martini made with no vermouth at all is often nicknamed a Kangaroo or called a "bone-dry" vodka martini. This build does include a small pour of dry vermouth rather than omitting it entirely.
How to make the best vodka martini?
Stir the vodka and dry vermouth with plenty of ice until well-chilled and diluted, then strain into a pre-chilled martini glass. Finish by expressing a lemon twist over the top for aromatic oils, or garnish with an olive on a skewer instead.
