Martinez Cocktail Recipe

The Martinez is a classic cocktail containing Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters. Widely considered a relative to the Manhattan and a predecessor of the Martini, the exact origins for this spirit-forward cocktail are unknown.

Popular cocktail lore tells two unconfirmed stories. Jerry “The Professor” Thomas, regarded the godfather of American bartending, may have invented the drink for a customer while at San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel in the late 1860s. (A recipe for the Martinez did appear in Thomas’s 1887 edition of The Bar-Tender’s Guide.) Credit for the creation of the Martinez has also been attributed to a local bartender in the Bay Area town of Martinez, California.  

The first printed mention of the Martinez was in O.H. Byron’s 1884 book The Modern Bartender’s Guide. A full recipe isn’t included, and instead simply reads: “Same as Manhattan, only you substitute gin for whisky.” Byron’s book was also one of the earliest records of the Manhattan, featuring two different versions, one containing curaçao and sweet vermouth and the other dry vermouth and gum syrup. 

In Thomas’s The Bar-Tender’s Guide, published three years later, the Martinez recipe specifies Old Tom gin, a style that dates to the 18th century and was wildly popular during the pre-Prohibiton cocktail era. This style of gin often features classic gin botanicals, including juniper and citrus but with some added sugar and barrel aging.

Why does the Martinez work?

Though there isn’t a legal definition for Old Tom gin, the style is often described as a cross between London Dry gin and genever, also called Holland gin, a malt-heavy precursor of modern gin. Old Tom gin is often considered a gateway gin for whiskey drinkers.

The malty quality in this richer, less-dry gin style better complements a sweet vermouth (rather than a Martini’s dry variation). Bolder botanical notes like baking spices can shine with this combination. 

A 1/4 ounce (or 1 1/2 teaspoon) of maraschino liqueur lends a slight bittersweetness with a touch of nutty aromatics. A few dashes of Angostura bitters offer up some dryness and complexity with a hint of perfumed spice. Tying the layers of flavors together is the bright orange twist garnish, imparting a hit of warm citrus with every sip.