Dry Vermouth Cocktails: Fitty Fitty Dry Martini

You can argue all you like about Martinis, and plenty might, but when a drink only has two (ish) ingredients it’s important to be precise. The 50/50 was how the first Dry Martinis were served early in the last century and over the years as the quality of vermouth diminished, the proportion of spirits increased. This century the original formula was revived and renamed, with a knowing wink and quality vermouth, as a Fitty-Fitty Martini by New York’s never to be forgotten Pegu Club (2005).

Ingredients

·         60ml The London Vermouth Company No.3 S.E. Dry

·         60ml Gin

·         a dash of orange bitters

·         Lemon Peel, Opies Cocktail Onions

Method

·         Chill a glass* with ice or pre-chill earlier in the day in your freezer

·         Combine our No.3 S.E. Dry, gin & bitters in an iced mixing glass and stir

(If you can’t hear yourself stir you’re doing it right)

·         Double strain into a chilled coupe

·         Twist the lemon peel over the glass to release its essential oils then use to garnish

·         Maybe add an onion too

*Julia Childs used to drink 50/50 Martinis in a tumbler. Just saying.