The Martinez

There's a new Spring drink menu at Red Feather, and among the standard classics in the cannon this season stands the Martinez.


If you haven't tried a Martinez in your drinking career just yet, I suggest you do. It's a sublime, sweet drink that will shake up...er... stir up your ideas about what really makes a good cocktail. Not only is it robust and interesting to drink, but it's history served up. Here's the recipe we're using at Red Feather:

The Martinez
1 1/4 oz. Plymouth Gin
1 3/4 oz. Carpano Antica Formula
2 dashes Fee Brother's Orange Bitters
1 splash Maraschino

On the off chance that any of you are wondering if by "Maraschino" I mean that sticky, vapid red juice from those equally vapid red things in your garnish tray, think again. Maraschino Liquor is distilled directly from the Marasca cherry and takes on a hot, dry flavor. Maraschino also provides the interesting kick in the original daiquiri, but that's a different post.

On the note of ingredients in this drink, is anyone else in Boise using Carpano Antica Formula red vermouth yet? I'm sitting here trying to think of a single cocktail that contains vermouth that doesn't demand the highest possible quality, and I'm telling you that good vermouth is always important. This one happens to be the best I've ever tried, and in this application it is truly surreal.

The Martinez is widely considered the first stab at the gin martini by people who have done the research; the use of sweet vermouth being far more popular at the turn of the century, as well as the orange bitters. We've turned the Martini into something strange and nondescript in the last several years, taking both the vermouth and bitters out of the equation, sometimes completely, and often filling a cocktail glass full with cold vodka. I wish we would have stayed with the Martinez.

I take sick pleasure in subjecting my bar staff to drinks that no one will ever ask for on the off chance that we can develop a following for them. And so we spent about 20 minutes yesterday talking through the Martinez and its history. If you're a regular at Red Feather, don't be surprised next time you sit down if there's a Martinez in front of you before you have the chance to order. Here's what it looks like: