To order a martini in style you will need to know the right terms and what they mean. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Part One: Know Your Options
Step 1. Learn the basics of martini
A classic and traditional martini cocktail is made with gin and vermouth and is garnished with an olive.
- If you don't specify a different concentration of gin or vermouth, the martini will be made with one part dry vermouth and four or five parts gin.
- Gin is an alcoholic liqueur made from the distillation of wheat or malt. It is also flavored with juniper berries.
- Vermouth is a liqueur made with wine, flavored with an infusion of herbs, flowers, spices and other plants.
Step 2. Ask for a martini cocktail with vodka instead of gin
Although the classic martini is made with gin, one of the recent fads is to take it with vodka. You can specify this request when ordering, and it should be your first change if you decide to make it.
- Vodka is an alcoholic liqueur made from the distillation of rye, wheat or potatoes. In some cases, fermented fruit and sugar can also be prepared, but these types of vodka are not used for martinis.
- In older bars, gin will almost always be used if you don't specify anything, but in some modern bars, the bartender might use vodka. To be sure, specify the liqueur you want when ordering.
Step 3. Choose the brand of liquor
If you don't say anything, you will be poured the cheapest brands of gin and vodka available in the bar. If you have a favorite brand of liquor, you should specify this when ordering.
- If you don't have a favorite brand and aren't familiar with the ones available, ask the bartender which options you can choose from. You can choose one at random if you want to keep up appearances and pretend you know your business, or ask the bartender for his advice.
- If you decide to specify the brand of alcohol, you will only have to say the brand and not the name of the liquor. For example, you should order a martini cocktail with Tanqueray, not Tanqueray gin. Similarly you should order a marine cocktail with Artic.
Step 4. Edit the content, preparation and presentation
Among the many ways you can customize your martini, you can change the gin-vermouth ratio, the way the cocktail is prepared, and the garnish that will accompany it.
- It will not be enough for you to know the options available to you; you will also have to learn the technical terms to order your drink with class and smoothly.
- If you're just ordering a "martini", some bartenders will ask you questions about how you'd like it to be prepared. Therefore, even if you wanted the drink in its simplest and most general form, you should still know the terms used.
Method 2 of 3: Part Two: Learning the Technical Terms
Step 1. Order your wet, dry or extra dry martini
These terms refer to the relationship between gin and vermouth. If you don't specify your preference, you'll be served a standard ratio martini.
- A martini wet it's a martini with more vermouth.
- A martini dry it's a martini with less vermouth.
- Order your martini extra dry it means asking that it contains only traces of vermouth. The bartender could wet the glass with vermouth to coat it without leaving the liquor in the glass when you need it.
Step 2. Ask for a dirty martini
A martini dirty refers to a martini with added olive juice or olive brine.
The flavor of the olive is quite strong, and the drink itself will become cloudy from the addition
Step 3. Try your martini with a twist or ask for a Gibson
Normally a martini is served with an olive. You can change the seals with these terms though.
- Order your martini with a twist if you want it served with a curled lemon zest instead of an olive.
- If you decide to order a martini cocktail garnished with spring onions, the name of the drink changes to Gibson. In other words, you will have to ask for a Gibson and not a martini with Gibson or a martini with onions.
Step 4. Choose a clean martini
A martini clean it is without gasket.
If you prefer to have more toppings instead, for example, two olives, you can request them. Note that there is no specific terminology to express this request
Step 5. Order a martini on the rocks, straight or straight up
With these terms you will choose whether to put ice in your cocktail.
- In the language of bartenders, order a drink on the rocks means served with ice. The drink will stay colder but may dilute over time.
- If you ask for a martini smooth, the alcohol will be poured directly from the bottle into the ice-free glass. The result will be a drink at room temperature, not at all diluted.
- Ask for a martini up or straight up, means asking that the liqueur be cooled with ice, usually by shaking or stirring it, and poured it through a colander into the glass without ice. This solution is the one that offers the most balance, because the liqueur will be cold but will not be diluted when the ice melts.
Step 6. Order a sweet or perfect martini
Dry vermouth is the type that is normally used, but if you prefer something sweeter in flavor, these are the two options you should be aware of.
- Ask for a martini sweet if you want the bartender to use sweet vermouth instead of dry vermouth.
- Similarly, a martini perfect would count equal parts of dry and sweet vermouth, creating a balanced flavor.
Step 7. Ask for a naked, shaken, or stirred martini
The choice you make will determine how the gin will be mixed with the vermouth in your drink.
- A martini mixed it is the most common, and in most high-quality bars, it is the method of preparation normally used. Alcohol is mixed in the glass with a special stick. In this way the martini will be transparent, and as many purists claim, it will have the most velvety texture, because the blending does not break the oils in the gin.
- A martini agitated it is prepared in a special shaker, inside which it is literally shaken back and forth. This is the most common preparation for dirty martinis, but the downside is that the liqueur tends to "bruise", meaning its oils are separated, and the appearance is more cloudy.
- A martini naked it's a martini in which all the ingredients have been chilled in the freezer. The alcohol will then be poured directly into a chilled cocktail glass and served without being stirred.
Method 3 of 3: Part Three: At the Bar
Step 1. Decide what you want before approaching the bar
In a busy bar, it's polite to decide your order before approaching the bartender. In a good bar you won't be rushed, but nevertheless, you should know everything you want before talking to the bartender.
- One possible exception is a question about the gin and vodka brands available.
- Also note that if the bar isn't particularly busy, you may want to spend a little more time on your order, especially if you notice that no one else has to order.
Step 2. Get the bartender's attention
Do it decisively but politely. The best way to do this is to stand in front of the counter where you can be seen. Try to meet the bartender's gaze and smile. Just these simple actions should be enough to make a good bartender understand to approach you when he gets the chance.
- When ordering for someone else, make sure you know what the other person wants before you approach the counter. Don't call her back to ask for the order if you've already gotten the bartender's attention. Also, if you're ordering for multiple people, you should have enough cash on hand to make this noticeable. Don't wave your money though, as it's considered rude behavior.
- Never try to get a bartender's attention by waving money, snapping your fingers or yelling.
Step 3. Combine all the terms you have learned
When you've gotten the bartender's attention, it's time to let him know what you want. Use the terms you've learned to order your martini cocktail. First ask for the base, then specify the vermouth concentration, indicate if you want ice, ask for the garnish, and finish with the preparation.
- For example, you could order a martini cocktail with tanqueray, extra dry and with a twist, agitated.
- As another example, order a dirty martini with vodka, wet and mixed.
