Perfect Martini recipe
Equal parts sweet and dry vermouth — the 'perfect' means balanced, not flawless.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Coupe glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Martini Family
Ingredients
- 2 oz London Dry Gin
- 0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
- 0.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
How to make a Perfect Martini
- Add gin, dry vermouth, and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir for 30 seconds until well-chilled.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.
Garnish
Lemon twist.
Pro tip
In cocktail terminology, 'perfect' means equal parts sweet and dry vermouth — it has nothing to do with quality. The combination creates a more complex, rounder flavor than either vermouth alone.
History of the Perfect Martini
The Perfect Martini predates the modern dry Martini. In the early 1900s, Martinis were made with both sweet and dry vermouth. As tastes shifted drier through the 20th century, the 'perfect' version became the exception rather than the rule.
Flavour profile
Botanical, Balanced, Herbal, Elegant
Variations
- Perfect Manhattan — Use rye whiskey instead of gin
- Perfect Rob Roy — Use scotch instead of gin
- Fifty-Fifty Martini — Equal parts gin and dry vermouth only
Practise making the Perfect Martini in the free Virtual Bar game.