Martinez Cocktail

The Martinez cocktail is a drink built with gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and angostura bitters!

Martinez Cocktail Info

It is known that the Martinez appeared in print for the first time in 1884's book "The Modern Bartender's Guide" by O.H. Byron. But with everything in writing, especially recipes, it is still possible that the cocktail was created long before the recipe was published in this book.

The exact origins of the Martinez cocktail outside the first publication it not well-documented, and there are several different stories about its creation. One popular story is that a bartender created the drink in Martinez, California, in the early 1860s. According to this story, the drink was originally made with gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and a dash of bitters.

Another story suggests that the Martinez was created by a bartender in New York City in the 1870s, who named it after the city of Martinez, California, in order to give it a more exotic, Western feel. This version of the drink was made with Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, and maraschino liqueur.

Regardless of its origins, the Martinez became a popular cocktail in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was often served in the iconic Martini glass and was a favorite of many famous writers and artists of the time, including Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde.

Over time, the Martinez evolved and became the drink we know today as the Martini. The gin and sweet vermouth proportions were adjusted, and the maraschino liqueur and bitters were often left out. Today, the Martinez is still enjoyed by cocktail enthusiasts, but it is not as well-known as the Martini.

Martinez Flavor Profile

The flavor profile of the Martinez cocktail is similar to that of the Martini but with a slightly sweeter and fruitier taste. The drink is made with gin, sweet vermouth, and maraschino liqueur, which gives it a complex and balanced flavor. The gin adds a juniper-forward, botanical flavor, while the sweet vermouth adds notes of herbs and spices. The maraschino liqueur adds a subtle cherry flavor and a touch of sweetness. The drink is often garnished with a lemon twist, which adds a bright, citrusy aroma and flavor. Overall, the Martinez is a complex and well-balanced cocktail with a mix of sweet, herbal, and citrus flavors.