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The Vodka Martini, as its name implies, is a vodka-focused version of the classic cocktail with the Russian spirit and vermouth either shaken or stirred to chill. While martini purists may scoff at the fact that vodka martinis are now as common as their gin counterparts, there’s no denying that the modern martini craze was sparked by vodka. In turn, the martini is largely responsible for the popularity of the spirit since the two became a known mixture in the 1940s, making this a now timeless duo that every bartender should master and every martini drinker should try at least once.
Bar Tools
- Mixing glass (stirred) or shaker (shaken)
- Stirrer
- Stainer
- Jigger
To Serve: in a chilled martini glass
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 oz. vodka
- 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
- A dash of orange bitters (optional)
To Garnish: with a lemon peel or olives
How to Make
Stirred: Pour your vodka, vermouth (and bitters, if desired) into a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir well until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Shaken: Pour vodka, vermouth (and bitters, if desired) into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well until chilled, breaking the ice down, then strain into a chilled martini glass.
Nutritional Facts and ABV
- ABV (alcohol by volume): 27.5%
- Calories: 122 calories
- Total carbohydrates: 1.8 grams
- Total added sugar: .15 grams
History
The origin of the Vodka Martini seems to coincide with the origin of vodka’s overall popularity. It became a popular bartender trend around the 1930s and 1940s to take existing cocktail recipes, typically made from a gin base, and swap in vodka to make an entirely new drink.
Such is the start of the vodka martini, which ironically, kicked off with a little bit of resistance. David Embury was supposedly the first to publish the recipe in his 1948 book, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. And it wasn’t exactly a pleasant introduction. He openly criticized the idea of swapping out gin for vodka, saying the spirit added nothing to the drink, like water. Nonetheless, Vodka Martinis stuck around long enough to become a staple and eventually sparked the martini craze of the late 20th century.
FAQ
Are flavored vodkas good for a vodka martini?
Flavored vodkas are probably best saved for those mixed cocktails in martini glasses like Cosmopolitans, Lemon Drops, Apple Tinis, and the list goes on. Your classic vodka and vermouth martini is probably going to always be best with a high-quality vodka that is simple and clean.
Is a vodka martini best on the rocks or straight up? Stirred or shaken?
How you drink your vodka martini is going to come down to personal preference. And everybody has theirs.
Stirred and straight up will make the stiffest drink, basically chilling the drink to an appropriate level and then serving it as is. Shaking with ice, however, will leave shards in the drink that eventually melt and dilute the drink over time. The same will go for letting your martini sit in a glass of ice.
