
The Martinez Gin Cocktail
Old Tom gin lovers, the Martinez gin cocktail is for you! This delightful and potent gin drink pairs lots of complex flavors into one amazing drink. The lush color is lovely, too.

This cocktail is also believed to be the precursor to the Martini, and I’m so glad the Martini didn’t actually replace it. And over the years, there have been so many variation on the Martinez, that’s it’s really up to you to find the perfect balance of the gin and the vermouth. But PLEASE use some Old Tom – the touch of sweetness is just what this drink needs.
The Martinez
Ingredients
- 2 Oz. Old Tom gin
- 1 Oz. Sweet vermouth
- .25 Oz. Luxardo or maraschino liqueur
- 3 Dashes Aromatic bitters
- 3 Dashes Orange bitters
- Lemon twist For garnish
Instructions
- Chill your martini glass for a bit!
- Add all of your ingredients, except the lemon twist, into a shaker with ice.
- Mix things up vigorously by shaking.
- Strain into your martini glass after dumping the chilling ice.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.

Is this the REAL recipe for a Martinez? Who knows.
There are hundreds and hundreds of variations out there, and you can feel free to experiment. I love Ransom’s Old Tom gin, it’s a bit spicy and not as sweet as other brands. Which means I am mostly ok with sweet vermouth and maraschino liqueurs being added to this.
If you want some more dry flavors to come out, I might suggest using a London dry gin instead of the Old Tom, but it’s your call. You can also nix the maraschino for other flavors, like orange in a triple sec.

Could you also add brandy? Or absinthe with an atomizer? Or citrus juice? YES. You might end of totally going off course from the “original” Martinez gin cocktail recipe, in which case name it after yourself and carry on being awesome.
