The classic
The true origin of the Martinez cocktail is unclear. Two early stories attribute the making of a cocktail named the Martinez to bartender Jerry Thomas at the Occidental Hotel or by a bartender by the name of Richelieue who worked at a saloon in Martinez, California. Both stories are difficult to verify because records of drinks at the time are missing or incomplete, but the 1887 edition of Thomas’ The Bar-Tender’s Guide includes a recipe for the Martinez. It calls for a pony of Old Tom gin, a glass of vermouth, two dashes of Maraschino, and a dash of Boker’s Bitters with ice, garnished with a slice of lemon.
A 1884 drink guide by O.H. Byron released just a few years earlier also listed a recipe for a cocktail called the Martinez by saying only: “Same as Manhattan, only you substitute gin for whisky.” The book contained two recipes for a Manhattan, one of which called for 2 dashes of curaçao, 2 dashes of Angostura bitters, 1/2 a wine-glass whisky and 1/2 a wine-glass of Italian vermouth.
A later 1888 guide by Harry Johnson, the New and Improved Illustrated Bartender’s Manual, listed a drink that may have been incorrectly spelled as the “martine”, without the letter “z”. Over time the alcoholic drinks further evolved regarding both their ingredient construction and names to become what were eventually considered as two different cocktails, the Martinez and the Martini.
Martinez (cocktail) – from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Another story I’ve seen online says the miner ws in Martinez and asked for a celebratory drink to be made as their was no champagne; when he travelled to San Francisco he visited the Occidental Hotel and asked for the drink to be replicated.
There are a number of recipes available for the Martinez, but I am going with the IBA (International Bartenders Association) official version (this is the recipe included in the for use in the annual World Cocktail Competition (WCC).
AuthorThe Cocktails Must FlowCategoryLemon Twist, London Dry Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Orange Bitters, Sweet VermouthDifficultyBeginnerWidely thought to be the precursor to the Martini.
Add ice cubes to a mixing jug.
Add liquid ingredients to the mixing jug.
Stir well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Twist the lemon peel over the glass and drop into the glass.
Ingredients
Directions
Add ice cubes to a mixing jug.
Add liquid ingredients to the mixing jug.
Stir well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Twist the lemon peel over the glass and drop into the glass.