Brunel Serves – Brunel’s Martinez
We continue our range of Brunel Edition serves with this twist on the classic Martinez cocktail. Dating from the second half of the 19th Century, this drink is almost as old as Brunel himself. It’s from a sometimes overlooked family of cocktails that match the strength of the spirit with the sweetness of Vermouth. The Martinez is considered by many to be the father of the Martini… but that’s a story for another day. This more classic version calls for just a dash of Orange Curaçco, though more modern (by which we mean 1920s!) recipes call for a small dash or Maraschino (cherry) liqueur in its place. Have a go at making this one at home sometime when you’re feeling opulent, and imagine yourself sailing off to distant lands on Brunel’s magnificent SS Great Britain!
Brunel's Martinez
An exotic and aromatic version of the gin classic... we think Brunel would approve!
Ingredients
- 45 ml 6 O'clock Gin Brunel Edition
- 10 ml Sweet Vermouth
- 10 ml Dry Vermouth
- 7.5 ml Orange Curaçao
Instructions
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Stir down all the ingredients over plenty of ice in a pre-chilled cocktail mixing glass. Once you have the drink well chilled and have a little dilution, strain into an ice cold coupette. A twist of orange is the classic garnish for the Martinez and it brings out the exotic botanicals of Brunel Edition perfectly.
Recipe Notes
Dates From: The Martinez dates from the 1860' - making it almost as old as Brunel!
Key Flavours: Warming aromatic spice notes from the Brunel Edition gin and complex botanicals from the Sweet and Dry Vermouth.
Background: The Martinez is often considered the father of the Martini though its true origins are somewhat mysterious. This version, especially created to balance the strength and complexity of Brunel Edition is a great way to discover the versatility of this cocktail. Unlike the most Martinez recipes, we've omitted the bitters that you'd usually add, as Brunel Edition is so packed with aromatic botanicals already - you're very welcome to experiment with adding them back in though! You can find more information on the original Martinez recipe in our Classic Cocktail series here.
