Vodka Martini recipe
Clean, cold, and controversial — the drink that divided bartenders forever.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Martini glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Martini Family
Ingredients
- 3 oz Vodka
- 0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
How to make a Vodka Martini
- Chill a martini glass.
- Add vodka and dry vermouth to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir for 30 seconds until very cold.
- Strain into the chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with a lemon twist or olive.
Garnish
Lemon twist or olive.
Pro tip
Yes, purists will tell you a Martini must be gin. Ignore them — a well-made Vodka Martini is a perfectly valid drink. The key is using good vodka and keeping the vermouth in play. A 'bone dry' martini is just cold vodka.
History of the Vodka Martini
The Vodka Martini rose to prominence in the 1960s-70s as vodka overtook gin in American popularity. James Bond popularized it (though he actually drinks a Vesper in the books). By the 1990s, vodka martinis outsold gin versions by a wide margin.
Flavour profile
Clean, Cold, Dry, Smooth
Variations
- Dirty Vodka Martini — Add olive brine for savory depth
- Wet Martini — Increase vermouth to 1 oz for more complexity
- Gibson — Garnish with a cocktail onion instead of olive
Practise making the Vodka Martini in the free Virtual Bar game.