Shaken or stirred: create the perfect martini with these classic cocktail recipes

"I'll have a martini: shaken, not stirred." 

Sean Connery’s immortal lines in Goldfinger established the humble martini’s place in cocktail history. Deceptively simple to make – and all too effortless to drink – this gin and vermouth- based cocktail, served in its ubiquitous cone-shaped stemmed glass with a simple garnish, is a stalwart of the mixology world.

The martini first appeared in the Bartenders’ Manual in 1880, with cocktail mythology suggesting it was invented in Martinez, California during the mid-1800s Gold Rush, when there was no champagne on hand to celebrate a windfall. The miner who struck rich returned to San Francisco and gave the recipe to his bartender. Others say it was invented at New York’s Knickerbocker Hotel.

Regardless of its origins, a legend was created. The cocktail’s popularity peaked in the Mad Men days of the 1960s and ’70s, when Manhattan advertising gurus became famously known for the leisurely, creative ‘Three Martini Lunch’.

Traditionally, a martini contains equal parts gin and vermouth, stirred with ice (shaking can bruise the botanicals in the gin – but it does make the gin colder), strained into a chilled martini glass, and garnished with lemon peel or olive. However you like your cocktail, premium gin brand Tanqueray suggests storing your gin in the freezer for a couple of hours to keep it ultra-cold and silky.

Popular variations include the dry martini, usually with a 5:1 ratio of gin and vermouth; dirty martini, served with a splash of olive brine; a kangaroo, which replaces gin with vodka; the Gibson, garnished with a cocktail onion; and, of course, Casino Royale’s Vesper martini, which specifies white Lillet Blanc instead of a more usual dry vermouth.

Here, we share some of our favourite recipes…

1. Classic Dry No Ten Martini

A classic dry martini recipe by Tanqueray, this is the ultimate starting point for any martini tasting.

• 50ml Tanqueray No Ten
• 10ml Dry Vermouth
• 3x dash orange bitters

Add all ingredients into a mixing glass full of ice and stir until chilled (60 seconds). Strain into a martini glass and garnish with lemon zest.

2. Grapefruit No Ten Martini

This summery variation was created by Sweet & Chili to celebrate “Tucci and No. Ten: Open for Orders”, the launch of Stanley Tucci’s partnership with Tanqueray No. Ten.

• 40ml Tanqueray No Ten
• 30ml grapefruit juice
• 20ml honey (2:1)

Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled (60 seconds). Strain into a martini glass and finish with a garnish of grapefruit peel.

3. Azaline Wet Martini

Also known as a reverse martini, this variation by Azaline Vermouth is a perfect, flavoursome aperitif.

• 60ml Azaline vermouth
• 30ml dry gin

Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake well with ice until chilled. Straining into a chilled martini glass and garnish with an orange peel.