Classic Martini

This is a firm favourite and made on this occasion with two measures of Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin, stirred, wet*, with a lemon twist.

Bathtub gin is so named as it was apparently made in the bathtubs of enterprising individuals during the Prohibition Era in the US. It’s a nice legend, sadly untrue. Gin is distilled in a closed container so the bath thing is unlikely.

To make a classic martini add two 35ml measures of gin, a dash* of dry vermouth and some bitters (Angostura/Peychauds) to ice in a mixing glass and stir with a barspoon for a minute or so. You do not want to rush this but you also don’t want to dilute this with too much water from the ice. Then strain into a martini or coupé glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.

*a martini is wet or dry depending on how much vermouth is added. Some like very little aka ‘dry’ and some like a bit more aka ‘wet’. The vermouth makes the drink a little less dry and a little sweeter.