Martinez

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What Is a Martinez Cocktail?

The Martinez is a nineteenth-century classic made with Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, a small amount of maraschino liqueur and a dash of bitters, stirred with ice and served in a chilled coupe with an orange twist. It's rich, smooth and gently sweet, and it's widely considered the ancestor of the martini.

If you enjoy a Manhattan, the Martinez will feel familiar. It's built on the same template of spirit, sweet vermouth and bitters, but with gin in place of whiskey. That makes it lighter and more aromatic, with botanical notes woven through the vermouth's warmth.

A Brief History of the Martinez

A Gold Rush Legend

The Martinez has two competing origin stories, both from California. The town of Martinez claims the drink was invented there during the Gold Rush, when a miner who'd struck gold walked into a saloon and asked bartender Julio Richelieu for something special. Richelieu's creation was named after the town.

Jerry Thomas and San Francisco

The other story credits famous bartender Jerry Thomas, who supposedly created the drink at San Francisco's Occidental Hotel for a traveler heading to Martinez across the bay. Thomas's name is attached to a Martinez recipe in the 1887 edition of his bar guide, though he had died by then. The earliest printed recipe actually appears in O.H. Byron's The Modern Bartender's Guide of 1884, which describes it simply as a Manhattan made with gin instead of whiskey.

Ancestor of the Martini

As tastes shifted toward drier drinks in the late 1800s and early 1900s, bartenders swapped sweet Old Tom gin for London dry gin and sweet vermouth for dry vermouth, and dropped the maraschino. The result evolved into the Dry Martini. The Martinez's Wikipedia entry explores this family tree in more detail.

Flavor Profile and What to Expect

The Martinez is smooth, rich and layered. Sweet vermouth brings notes of dried fruit, vanilla and baking spice, while the gin adds juniper, citrus and a light herbal freshness. The maraschino contributes a subtle cherry-almond flavor and floral sweetness, and bitters tie everything together with warm spice. The orange twist adds a bright citrus aroma on top. It's a little sweeter than a Manhattan and far softer than a Dry Martini, which makes it a great introduction to stirred classics.

Choosing Your Ingredients

Old Tom Gin

Old Tom gin is a slightly sweeter, rounder style of gin that was popular in the nineteenth century, before London dry became dominant. It was nearly extinct until the cocktail revival brought it back, and several distillers now make one. You can learn more about it on Wikipedia's Old Tom gin page. If you can't find it, a London dry gin works well; you may want to add a little extra vermouth or a few drops of simple syrup. Some bartenders also make the drink with Dutch genever, which gives a malty, whiskey-like character.

Sweet Vermouth

Vermouth makes up half the drink, so choose a good one. A rich Italian rosso style gives a lush, vanilla-tinged drink, while a lighter vermouth keeps it brighter. Keep opened vermouth in the fridge.

Bitters

Many old recipes called for Boker's bitters, which are now made again by small producers. Angostura bitters are a fine substitute, and many bartenders use orange bitters or a mix of both.

How to Make a Martinez

Stir all the ingredients with plenty of ice for 20 to 30 seconds, until the drink is very cold and slightly diluted, then strain into a chilled coupe. Like other spirit-forward drinks, the Martinez should be stirred, not shaken, to keep it clear and silky. Our article on proper cocktail techniques covers the method.

Popular Variations

Ratios

Early recipes used more vermouth than gin, which gives a soft, sweet drink. Most modern bars use equal parts or slightly more gin, as in this recipe. A 2:1 gin-to-vermouth ratio makes a drier, more gin-forward Martinez.

Related Classics

If you enjoy the Martinez, try the Hanky Panky, which pairs gin and sweet vermouth with Fernet-Branca, the Brooklyn, a rye cocktail that also uses maraschino, or the 50/50 Martini, a softer, vermouth-heavy martini.

How to Serve a Martinez

Serve the Martinez straight up in a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass. Express an orange twist over the surface to release its oils, then drop it in or perch it on the rim. A brandied cherry is a nice optional addition.

Food Pairings and Occasions

The Martinez works well as a pre-dinner drink or a nightcap. It pairs nicely with salty, rich snacks like roasted almonds, olives, aged cheeses, pâté and charcuterie. It's also a lovely drink for cocktail-history fans, dinner parties and quiet evenings when you want something classic and contemplative.

Why People Love the Martinez

The Martinez is a living piece of cocktail history, a link between the Manhattan and the Martini that still tastes great today. It's smooth and balanced, it shows off gin in a warmer, richer way, and it's a rewarding drink for anyone curious about how classic cocktails evolved. For more ideas, see our guide to the best gin cocktails to make at home, or compare specs with the Martinez recipe on Difford's Guide.