Equal parts gin, chartreuse, Maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice, The Last Word cocktail is a foolproof classic that goes down as easily as it is to make. This recipe takes well to scaling: Quadruple it for four, or for a party, make a pitcher for guests to pour over ice. It can also be adapted to individual tastes; for a less sweet result, up the gin to 1¼ ounces.

WATCH: How to Shake a Cocktail

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During the 1980s and ‘90s craft cocktail revival, Dick Bradsell was a bar consultant working in the U.K., where he contributed a few of the era’s most influential cocktails to the modern bartender’s repertoire. Most notable among them: the classic espresso martini. Bradsell originally served the drink, which he called the “vodka espresso,” on the rocks. I suggest trying the drink both up and on ice to see which you prefer.

Featured in: “How to Add Coffee to Your Cocktails.”

Optional Variations:

Sweetness: if you prefer a sweeter build, add ¼– ½ ounce simple syrup.
Spirit: Try swapping out the vodka for tequila, rum, Cognac, or even gin. 
Balance: If you like, add a few drops of a fourth ingredient for bitterness or brightness, such as an amaro or fruit liqueur.

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We love the brininess of olives or pickled pearl onions in our martinis and Gibsons, but pickled cranberries deliver the same salty kick plus a puckery tartness, satisfying crunch, and pretty crimson hue to holiday cocktails. Though fresh cranberries take several days to tenderize and absorb flavor, defrosted frozen ones have slightly softer skins, which speeds up the pickling process. Get a batch started at least two days before you plan to serve. Cinnamon leaves can be ordered online from Burlap & Barrel.

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The classic martini endures for many reasons, not least among them the drink’s simplicity. The textbook formula includes just two ingredients: dry vermouth, and either gin or vodka, with proportions and garnishes to be easily personalized to the drinker’s tastes. Apart from sharing a similarly high-octane ABV, the rainbow of colorful and candy-sweet ‘tinis that have emerged since the minimal version’s birth bears little resemblance to their 19th-century brethren. That said, a few of these unorthodox variations—in particular, the appletini—have earned their own place in classic cocktail canon.

In the summer of 1997, Los Angeles bartender Adam Karsten invented a sweet-tart apple drink for a now-shuttered West Hollywood martini bar called Lola’s. He named the drink, which was an immediate hit, the “Adam’s Apple.” Eventually, Lola’s just started calling it the apple martini, and as bars and restaurants around the globe adopted the simple vodka-and-sour-apple-schnapps mixture as their own, the name was simplified further to the appletini we know and love (or love to hate) today.

There is certainly a “classic appletini recipe,” but the door is open for all manner of variations. Over time, and especially over the past five years, craft bartenders have endeavored to reimagine the drink, updating it with lighter, brighter, higher-quality ingredients. The moral of the story? A classic serve—be it a traditional martini or its apple-y offspring—endures numerous iterations as trends and tastes change. But the refreshing (and boozy) sentiment remains the same.

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Herbal flavors are a natural pairing with gin, so cocktail book authors Carey Jones and John McCarthy use aromatic basil in this martini riff with good gin, dry vermouth, and the aperitif Cocchi Americano. Read about everything you need to know about martinis: where to seek them out, and how to make perfect ones at home.

Featured in: “Why Your Cocktail’s Herb Garnish Needs a Good Whack.”

The Best Martini Glasses Are as Unique as the Way You Take Your Drink

Bar folks have a lot of feelings about martinis. Find the best glasses for them from handblown to retro dive bar styles.

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When chef Sean Brock opened his bastion of classic fine dining, The Continental, in Nashville in 2021, he heralded a new era of appreciation for a certain vintage American style of dining. That means signature dishes like prime rib carved tableside, pâté en croûte, and caviar, plus oysters Continental, a menu item that Brock hopes will join the canon of classics like oysters Rockefeller and crab Louie. It’s an ambitious restaurant from an ambitious chef seeking to cement his place in America’s fine dining history books.

The cocktail program is built to match, with a selection of classics that have been upgraded to Brock and bar director Johnathan Howard’s very unique specifications. For example, a perfectly clear “dirty” martini is one of the cocktail program’s stars, combining vodka, vermouth, salt, and olive distillates (olive juice that has gone for a spin in a centrifuge in the chef’s high-tech culinary lab). The drink is served in a coupe, ice-cold from the freezer.   

With all this in mind, Brock and Howard are introducing another component to the experience at the Continental: The Vesper Club, which offers a martini tasting menu in the restaurant’s lounge. 

“I always said from the first moment that I want to make this bar the American version of [the American Bar in] the Savoy in London,” says Howard. “When you think of the martini in this country, I want it to be synonymous with The Continental in Nashville, Tennessee.” The concept evolved over time, he says. “Originally we’d planned a whole other cocktail experience, but then one day at the bar at Audrey [Brock’s other new restaurant], Sean handed me a Waldorf Astoria cocktail book. I opened it to the the Opera cocktail, which I love.” The retro, spirit-forward recipe sparked an idea, and in that moment the duo decided to make the bar at the Continental an ode to that style of cocktails, specifically martinis.  

For a bar to focus solely on variations of one drink is a big undertaking, particularly when it’s a beloved classic that’s very open to interpretation. “A lot of drinkers are paying close attention to the classic cocktails they’ve been taking for granted,” says cocktail writer Camper English. “We’ve had to relearn what classic cocktails are in their original format after years of drinking cold vodka in a V-shaped glass and calling it a martini.”

The Vesper Club tasting experience is centered around five small martinis served in vintage glassware, each one clocking in at around one and a half ounces. The flight is designed with enjoyment—not overindulgence—in mind, says Howard. “I want this to be something people can do before dinner. The point is to let it reverberate on the palate, followed by a bite of caviar, then another sip of martini to finish it.” 

There is also an educational component in mind, Howard says. And there’s plenty to know: The history of the martini starts in Gold Rush-era California according to most accounts. But wherever that first cold cocktail was poured, it has garnered a rich history ever since, coming to large-scale popularity in the 1960s, thanks to Mr. Bond, who preferred his martini shaken, not stirred—a drink order that would go on to sweep the world. (Of note: The bar’s name is a reference to a martini variation created by none other than 007’s creator, Ian Fleming in Casino Royale, the Vesper.)  Customizing one’s own martini order remains common: shaken or stirred, dry or dirty, vodka or gin, and more. 

Eventually, the cocktail menu at The Continental will offer around twelve to fifteen different martinis. The Vesper Club’s tasting is an opportunity for guests to relieve themselves of the burden of choice, as well as to learn something new about a drink they’ve possibly had countless times before. 

“I think by putting multiple variations on the menu you’re drawing attention to a whole category as opposed to having one signature martini,” says English. “Otherwise people might skip that and just order it how they order it.”

The Vesper Club is taking the category and running with it, according to the menu. The main spirits, at least on the opening menu, are vodka and gin with an intriguing roster of other vermouths, fortified wines, and ingredients like plum vinegar. One example combines Wodka Vodka with Carpano Bianco Vermouth, oloroso sherry distillate, and pistachio, paired with Siberian sturgeon caviar from Poland. Sake, walnut oil, absinthe, and more make appearances, too. So forget your “go-to” order and settle in for five inventive martinis that will change the definition of the classic cocktail, and possibly even cement their own places in cocktail history books.

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Playing host away from home can be touch-and-go, but Padma Lakshmi isn’t exactly a stranger to bold choices. While on location in Houston for the third season of Taste the Nation, the TV host, journalist, and author threw an impromptu cocktail party for her crew to watch the Emmys (she scored a double nomination for her work on Top Chef) and had no shortage of vision for the perfect evening. Partial to savory and piquant flavors, Lakshmi’s gatherings are generally a salt and spice fiend’s fever dream, and a toast with her is not for the faint of palate. “I like to make drinks a lot, but I don’t like sugary drinks,” she tells SAVEUR in the midst of prepping for the get-together and sharing a recipe from her personal archives in the process. 

Sweet cocktails are anathema to Lakshmi (a “headache in a glass,” as she calls them), so easy-to-make drinks like a dirty martini are a go-to. For her, a structured and balanced spirit base that won’t overwhelm a dirty martini’s other ingredients is absolutely essential. Typically, she reaches for a good, solid vodka as a blank canvas for the briny (and sometimes spicy) elements used in her recipe and its variations. “What I love about a vodka martini is that it’s just really crisp and clean—I think Ketel One is great because it’s family-owned for over three centuries [so] they know what they’re doing, [and] they don’t use any GMO grains,” Lakshmi shares. As a longtime advocate for the food and drink industry’s bigger picture—whether historically, environmentally, or politically—being selective about what she incorporates into each recipe is always a priority.

According to Lakshmi, serving the spirit-forward classic with snacks is a requisite. “I like to pair appetizers that are also savory, so anything from mini grilled cheeses with a beautiful gruyere and a hot jalapeño jam (which has a bit of sweet, but with a kick) to roasted, spiced nuts and flautas filled with goat cheese and mushrooms.” The fattiness of goat cheese, she adds, is an excellent companion to the vodka martini’s bright finish.

Perhaps as crucial to the drink as the spirit itself is the choice of olives. Lakshmi favors Spanish olives in her recipe, but when looking for more depth, she’s got a reliable secret weapon: “I’ll use the escabeche [from] Mexican pickled jalapeños instead of the olive brine—I find it’s a nice twist to give the martini a little punch,” she says. As for quantities, “It depends how spicy you and your guests can tolerate.” Her preferred ratio? “I like to use about a half to three-quarters of a teaspoon per martini, and a couple of nice, juicy olives along with a slice of the pickled jalapeño.” Here’s how to make Lakshmi’s very own martinis and her favorite pairing snacks for your next cocktail gathering.

Recipe

Dirty Vodka Martini

Get the recipe for Dirty Vodka Martini »

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When it comes to making cocktails at home, Padma Lakshmi is team savory all the way. The host of Top Chef and Taste the Nation mixes her dirty martini with vodka (she prefers Ketel One), dry vermouth, and Spanish olives and brine. For a spicier, more assertive variation, she suggests omitting the vermouth entirely and replacing the brine with half a teaspoon of the pickling liquid from Mexican-style pickled jalapeños. Both versions pair perfectly with salty party snacks like goat cheese, toasted nuts, or tomato toast—after all, a three-ounce pour of vodka requires a good snack or two, especially if anyone’s going back for a second round.

While it’s easy enough to make one or two martinis at a time, whipping up a batch of the cocktail is a smart hosting technique used by Lakshmi herself. Instead of serving your martinis to your guests à la minute, she recommends scaling up the recipe to your desired number of servings, then keeping the cocktail in a pitcher nestled in a tub of ice. Although the drink will already be cold when served, the dilution factor (which is essential for balancing many spirit-forward drinks) is still important to consider. Either pre-dilute batched out martinis to taste, or shake or stir from the pitcher based on your guests’ preferences. 

Featured in: “Padma Lakshmi Makes This Spicy Swap To Give Her Martinis Extra Kick.”

The SAVEUR Martini Guide

Everything you need to know about the most classic of classic cocktails: Where to seek one out, and how to make the perfect one at home. »

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Of all the classic cocktails, the martini deserves the top spot. Its streamlined simplicity—at its heart, it’s just gin and vermouth—its eponymous V-shaped glass, and its enduring place in pop culture has earned the drink its iconic status.

More than a century after its creation, this uncomplicated cocktail continues to captivate us. We love to debate the proper ratio of gin to vermouth, ranging from the “reverse martini”—a glassful of vermouth, with just a splash of gin, as Julia Child famously preferred—to “just [a] bow in the direction of France”—Winston Churchill’s wry request for a chilled gin, hold the French vermouth. 

In addition to honoring the best of the classic martini dens and the modern mixologists crafting some eyebrow-raising riffs on martinis and variations like the Vesper, Martinez and Gibson, check our guide for crafting the ultimate martini at home, including top tools, best-in-breed vermouth bottlings, and garnishes for the crowning touch.

The martini continues to be more than just a drink. No wonder journalist H. L. Mencken was moved to declare, “martinis are the only American invention as perfect as a sonnet.”

How to Make a Classic Martini

Martini Recipes

The Old Guard: 10 Classic Martini Bars

The New Guard: 10 Modern Martini Bars

Your Essential Martini Garnishing Station

Martini Building Toolkit

5 Martini-Worthy Vermouths

Martini Timeline

When and where was the martini invented? Who was it named for? Grab a martini glass to learn more about this storied sipper.

1880-1910s: The Martinez vs. The Martini.

As with many alcoholic beverages, the early history of the martini is a muddled one. According to some historians, the Martinez (Old Tom Gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur and bitters) was the 

forerunner of the martini, created in gold rush-era California in the 1880s—certainly, many of the first published references to the martini/Martinez date to this period. Yet others claim that a New York bartender created it in 1911. Further complicating the origin story, Italian vermouth maker Martini (now Martini & Rossi) started marketing its product in 1863.

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1900s: The martini dries out. 

Although early martini variations relied on lightly sweetened Old Tom Gin, as distillation methods improved, drier gin grew in popularity, closer to what we call London Dry-style gin today. By the 1900s, the Martini recipe had evolved closer to what it is today:  gin, vermouth (though still often sweet vermouth) and bitters, often orange bitters. Specifying a “dry martini” usually meant London Dry gin specifically, dry vermouth, too. Many cocktail books from the early 1900s include recipes for both “Martinis” and “Dry Martinis.”

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1920-1933: Prohibition changes the game. 

The advent of Prohibition didn’t prevent Americans from drinking—but it certainly did force them to drink differently. Buying and selling liquor was illegal; having liquor was legal. As a result, “cocktail parties” in private homes became a popular pastime, while underground speakeasies accommodated many other drinkers. As whiskey became harder to obtain (and distill, and age), gin grew in popularity. Of course, much of this was so-called “bathtub gin,” an un-aged base spirit with juniper extract added to hide harshness or impurities.

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1940s: Silver screen idols popularize the martini.  

When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Americans breathed a sigh of relief. But had the public forgotten how to make a good martini? The celebrities of the day provided plenty of direction, and martini glasses became a key accessory in many of black & white films of the era.

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1950s-1960s: Vodka martinis make the scene. 

You can thank fictional spy James Bond for popularizing vodka in the martini glass. In print, one of Bond’s first signature drinks was the Vesper, described in *Casino Royale* (1953):  “Three measures of Gordon’s [gin], one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice cold, then add a large slice of lemon peel.” But it wasn’t until the 1962 film *Dr. No* that Bond famously asked for vodka martini, “shaken, not stirred.”

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1980s-1990: Flavored “martinis” ascend.

Thanks to an Absolut vodka advertising campaign featuring artwork by Andy Warhol and later, work by other art, music and fashion world icons, sales of vodka (and vodka-based martinis) surged. However, many of these ‘tinis were flavored (i.e. the apple-tini) or given silly names. The stemmed cocktail glass was rechristened the “martini glass,” and anything served in it, including existing cocktails like the Lemon Drop and the Cosmopolitan, were categorized as martinis. “Martini Menus” and martini lounges became increasingly common.

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2000s-present: The classic martini renaissance.

Classic martini resurgence. In the early 2000s, craft cocktail bars in New York City, such as Milk and Honey, Employees Only and Pegu Club, helped spark interest in pre-Prohibition cocktails like the martini, and the history behind it. Meanwhile, spirits producers, importers and others responded to requests to bring back “lost” ingredients (like Old Tom gin) to help re-create nearly-forgotten drinks. Among these cocktail dens, gin and whiskey often took the spotlight; some refused to carry vodka at all. Alongside scores of Manhattans, Sazeracs and Negronis, the classic martini was restored to pre-Prohibition glory.

Note: credit is due to historians Robert Hess for his research on the history of the Martini and Patricia Herlihy for her research on the history of vodka.

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Much like the Martinez, the Perfect Martini recipe bears resemblance to both the classic gin martini and the darker spirited Manhattan. While the obscure drink is often written off by cocktail connoisseurs, a discerning choice of 2 distinct vermouths can take this cocktail from dull to delightful. G&T fans, this one’s for you: In lieu of a standard sweet vermouth, this recipe calls for Byrrh (pronounced BEER) Grand Quinquina, which, as its name would indicate, is made with quinine (a bitter compound from the bark of the cinchona tree) which is also found in tonic water.

Featured in: Quarantined? Make these “Quaran-tinis”

Equipment

• Mixing glass
• Bar spoon
• Cocktail strainer
• Jigger
• Martini glass

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