50/50 Martini

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

What do you get when you mix equal parts gin with equal parts dry vermouth? A 50/50 Martini, of course.

Go to any bar, tavern or steakhouse anywhere in the world and I guarantee you, you can get a classic Gin or Vodka Martini. One of the most famous cocktails in existence, the drink is just as big a celebrity as James Bond, who famously loves his “shaken, not stirred”. Songs have been written about the joys of the mixture, and the image of a martini glass with a few olives rolling around in it is just as iconic as Superman’s insignia or the Bat Signal.

Usually, a martini consists of the gin or vodka as the base spirit, with a little dry vermouth stirred in to balance the infusions with a little floral sweetness. The less vermouth you use, the drier your cocktail will be. The more you use, the “wetter” it gets. Some martinis are so dry, only a little vermouth is used to rinse the glass, then it is dumped out. It all depends on what the drinker prefers. For my own part, I prefer mine to be pretty dry and crisp, a perfect balance of botanicals, citrus and bite.

Tonight’s recipe is an interesting one, The 50/50 Martini is made with equal amounts of gin and vermouth, literally making a 50/50 combination of ingredients. Harry Craddock’s The Savoy Cocktail Book from 1930 has this cocktail listed amongst its pages, but the concoction quickly fell into obscurity until the early 21st century, when New York bartenders Audrey Saunders and Sasha Petraske resurrected the tipple for their Manhattan bars, Pegu Club and Milk & Honey, respectively.

If you’re into martinis, you should try your hand at the 50/50. A little lighter in alcoholic content, but it packs a whole lot of taste in each sip.

What Is The Best Gin To Use In A 50/50 Martini?

I love gin. I first began to play around with cocktail mixing using a bottle of New Amsterdam Stratusphere gin some years back, which is a California-distilled spirit and, to my palate, is a little on the orange side, flavor-wise. After splashing out and discovering Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Hendrick’s, No.3 and Gray Whale—another California brand—I quickly discovered that no two gins are exactly alike. Personally, I prefer using a London Dry, like Tanqueray or No.3, when I make myself a martini. The juniper and citrus infusions are balanced out with a lean, floral and top-shelf dry vermouth, like a bottle of Dolin or Noilly Prat.

WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH ARE USED?

For the coldest, smoothest and crispest 50/50 Martini you can possibly get, chill your martini glass or cocktail coupe in the freezer for about 30 minutes before stirring and pouring. Garnish with a lemon twist.

SHAKEN, OR STIRRED?

Ah, the age-old question when it comes to mixing a martini. It’s always preferable to stir one, instead of shaking, as the latter method will bruise the gin and alter its flavor profile, as well as fairly dilute the cocktail. I sometimes like to freeze my gin, so after I add the vermouth to the chilled glass, I simply top it off with the frozen spirit. Which, by the way, doesn’t freeze, but becomes slightly viscous, but not thick.

Other Martinis Worth Trying

An authentic martini traditionally consists of gin or vodka as the base spirit, mixed with a small amount of dry vermouth, sometimes only a rinse. Seems pretty cut and dry, no pun intended, but there are a few pretty cool riffs and offshoots of the classic and iconic cocktail, and not just because they’re served in the same glass. Try these out for something with a difference.

• Wet Martini – The traditional way to serve this time-honored tipple, with more vermouth instead of less.
• Pickle Martini – Sounds a little strange, but this drink is the “real dill”.
• Extra Dirty Martini – Olive lovers rejoice with this briny beverage.
• Dry Martini – Crisp, elegant and of course, dry.