Dry Martini january

Doing Dry January this year? So are we…. well a version of it! Bartenders have obsessed over this classic cocktail for decades.

We could talk for hours about the perfect recipe, the preferred method to make it, the choice of spirit, ratio of spirits or even the garnish used. Whilst it’s a very simple cocktail to make, it can get a little complicated with all the variations. 

So, we've put together a list of the martinis we love to make and serve here in The Spirit Circle!

Vodka Martini aka 'A Wee Corrector'

This is a very popular drink on our Belfast By The Glass experience. We use Boatyard Distillery’s Irish Vodka. Made from 100% organic Irish wheat, it has a creamy smooth character, with notes of black pepper, banana and orange zest.

We pair this with Regal Rogue’s Lively White vermouth from Australia, and a lime zest spritz on top to finish. With a ratio of 2:1 this makes it a more approachable martini for those guests who have not experienced one before... and a second is often asked for!

Gin Martini

We prefer our Gin Martinis on the drier side, using a ratio of 4:1 so around 12.5ml of vermouth. Although one of our hosts uses 7ml of Vermouth which is very, very dry - but he swears it’s the best!!

Making it drier will make the gin really stand out so make sure it’s your favourite. Boatyard, Copeland and Ukiyo all make for excellent martinis. We love a lemon twist for garnish, but play around with other citrus fruits until you find your preference.

Dirty Martini

Some people hate it, others like it filthy! Take your favourite gin martini recipe and add in some olive brine (careful now!), garnish with three olives on a toothpick. The more olive brine, the dirtier it becomes. The salty and savoury flavours make it quite moreish!

Poitín Martini

Admittedly this is a bit rogue, however with Poitín’s increasing popularity at the minute, we can’t help but experiment. A recipe we’ve been playing with is a 3:1 martini using Bán Poitín & Regal Rogue Lively White.

Bán from Echlinville Distillery gives it a slightly oily and sweet spice texture to this cocktail. It’s a fun twist on a classic drink using the original Irish spirit distilled at a first class distillery... as opposed to your dodgy uncle.

No Alcohol Martini

And for those doing the real Dry January, we have that covered too. We use Tanqueray 0% Gin in quite a few of our alcohol free cocktails. Pairing this with Alain Milliat Sauvignon Grape Juice on a 3:1 ratio.

This is an excellent alcohol free martini, dry, savoury and the right amount of crispness. Definitely beats a lemonade.

Top Tips

Key things to remember when making your martini at home:

Chill your glass in the freezer, it will keep your drink colder for longer.

A stirred martini makes for a smoother and better balanced drink.

Use good ingredients, if you can source a premium bottle of vermouth it'll really elevate your drink.

Lastly, have fun with it. Don’t be afraid to play around with different ratios, different spirits and vermouths or unusual garnishes.

Words by Philip McAlister aka Phil 2