If you love gin and vermouth in equal measures or simply want to keep things on the lower side of the boozy scale, then this 50-50 Martini recipe is the perfect cocktail for you. Made half and half with gin and vermouth, and a dash of orange bitters for some zest, this gin-based drink is totally different to a classic Martini while still clinging onto all the sophistication a Martini yields!
Add all your ingredients to a mixing glass, mason jar or shaker and fill with ice
Stir until well-chilled
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with a lemon twist and enjoy
The ratios of ingredients in the perfect Martini have always been subject to debate in the cocktail universe, with drinkers mixing it up based on personal taste. Are you with 007, should it be shaken not stirred; served with a twist, or dirty? Most types of Martinis, like our 50/50 Martini and the Classic Martini, are a mix of gin and dry vermouth but it’s in the ratios where each Martini differs.
Your Classic Martini is one-part dry vermouth to six-parts gin, giving you what bartenders refer to as a Dry Martini and one that definitely means business being mostly gin. A “wetter” Martini has more vermouth by contrast. If you give the gin and vermouth equal footing, you end up with a fifty-fifty cocktail, which would be classified as a Wet Martini. Being that our 50/50 Martini ratio is half gin and half vermouth, it makes our drink much lower in alcohol than its counterparts.
When we make cocktails that are made up of only a few ingredients, it’s important to choose them wisely as they’ll be bringing all of the flavor. We recommend choosing the best bottles you can afford for the best-tasting drink. For our halfsies Martini, a good London Dry Gin is a perfect choice like Bickens or Bulldog. For an excellent vermouth, try either 1757 Vermouth di Torino or Cinzano Extra Dry. Make this 50/50 drink in a mixing glass, mason jar, or large jug, and fill it up with ice so it’s served extra chilled. Keep it simple and garnish with a twist of lemon peel.
Pick your side. When it comes to mixing your drink, side with James Bond if you prefer it shaken not stirred. While the cocktail purists out there will say that stirring is best (as it doesn’t dilute the drink as much as the ice breaks down), we don’t judge; find a method that suits you, and you do you!
Keep it simple. With Martinis, simplicity is key. Serve in a classic martini glass and garnish with a twist of lemon peel. Make sure to zest or peel the lemon over your glass so the oils float down into your drink for extra zing.
