Mexi-Gin Martini (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

With all the parts of this cocktail that are not Martini ingredients, this Mexican-themed Martini is very much what it says. Yes, it is basically a Martini with ingredients added, but it is so much more than that. 

Mezcal, celery bitters and alpine spirit really lift the standard Gin Martini to new and more festive heights. The flavor of the Mexi-Gin Martini is very Mexican, similar to tequila Martinis I've had at nicer Mexican restaurants in D.C. It's super herbal with a little burn of jalapeno-infused blanco tequila. Mezcal itself adds to herbal and fruity flavors, and it helps to have a heavily botanical gin like ImaGination from MurLarkey to carry off the gin portion of the cocktail.  

Finally celery bitters is the lifting effect that bridges the connection between dry Martini and fruity tasting spirits. Celery adds earthiness as well as additional herbal boost to hold together juniper from the gin and smokey mezcal by Del Maguey. 

• 2 oz. dry gin (MurLarkey ImaGination used)
• 1/2 oz. Dolin dry vermouth
• 1/4 oz. Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal
• 1/4 oz. jalapeno-infused blanco tequila
• 1/4 oz. Green Chartreuse (Dolin Genepy used)
• 1 dash celery bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

The Joy Division (Death & Co. Recipe)

I'm often looking for a different take on a Gin Martini. The Joy Division appealed to me because I was feeling like enjoying French ingredients and you can easily make this cocktail without leaving the country of France with its gin, wines, and liqueurs. 

Here I've chosen Citadelle dry gin principally because it is French, but also because it is dry and of such a quality that you can replace Beefeater with it and only improve your cocktail. The recipe calls for Cointreau, and triple sec is a fair substitution, but I wanted Royal Combier for the spice and orange of this French liqueur. Finally absinthe and Dolin dry make this an herbal cocktail like no other.

• 2 oz. dry gin (Citadelle gin used)
• 1 oz. Dolin dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Cointreau (Royal Combier used)
• 3 dashes absinthe (Ricard Pastise used)
• 1 lemon twist

Combine all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

 

Saramago (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

Sometimes a cocktail is designed to invite the senses and is so well-balanced that it seduces you completely. That is what happens with this drink, a variation on the Tequila Martini. 

My issue with the Tequila Martini is that it is often too dry, too forceful to have as your first cocktail. Saramago gets you over that hump with St. Germain to sweeten and add floral essences. Dolin blanc and tequila makes for a rounder Martini than the extra dry vermouth. It gives more of a grape flavor that plays well with the herbal notes of tequila. Finally, there's just a hint of smoke from the mezcal rinse that signals the deeper pleasures to come.

• Del Maguey Vida Mezcal rinse
  
• 2 oz blanco tequila (Sauza 100% blue agave blanco used)
• 3/4 oz. Dolin blanc
• 1/2 oz. St-Germain
• 1 dash orange bitters (Hella used)
• grapefruit twist

Rinse a coupe with mezcal and dump. Stir the remaining ingredients on ice and strain into the coupe. Twist a grapefruit zest over the drink and drop it in. 

Ambassador West

 

I'm not sure which historical figure that this drink's name refers to, but I bet it isn't the Ambassador West hotel. If I had to decide, I think I would go with the novel by the same name by Mark West. The fact that the book is about an assassination plot against South Vietnam's president in the 1960s is a not congruent with a Martini variation that makes copious use of brandy. 

As far as Martinis go, this variation is a winner. I really like how brandy changes the texture a little so that it is richer and a little silky. I knew that the brandy had potential to cover over the gin, however, so I went with a spicy gin that I made at home through infusion. This gin is high on juniper and as dry as 100-proof vodka that it is made from. There is some lemon peel and fresh herb garden notes, but overall, the gin is designed to stand out, and it should. The ingredients that flavor it were steeping in vodka for a week and their influence arrives in the glass. 

• 1 1/2 oz. brandy (Korbel used)
• 1 oz. gin (homemade used and dry gin recoomended)
• 1/2 tsp. dry gin (Dolin used)
• green olive

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Drop the olive into the drink. 

Smoke Out Martini (Original Recipe)

 

A stroke of genius or a sign of madness: this cocktail, like most Martini variations, comes down to the garnish adding that roasted and smoked saltiness that sets it apart.

I took inspiration from the Octopus Garden Martini that uses a smoked octopus arm as its garnish. I figured if you can do that, why not increase the garnish and go for smoked hams and root vegetables? What you are looking at (from left to right) is prosciutto, roasted beet, coppa, roasted radish and roasted parsnip. You can do this with just about any vegetables: zucchini, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower all come to mind. But I wanted to stick to roots and the earthiness they impart. These vegetables were roasted with olive oil, salt and black pepper only. A little olive oil makes its way into the drink and floats on the surface, which is also desirable. 

For my final trick, I used a drizzle of MurLarkey's Smokehouse whiskey on the surface of the cocktail, and that was all it took to elevate the smokey roasted scent and salted meat flavor.

• 3 oz. vodka (Smirnoff no. 57 used)
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth (Dolin Extra Dry used)
• 1 tsp. MurLarkey Smokehouse whiskey
• assortment of roasted vegetables and cured meats

Roast vegetables coated in olive oil, salt and pepper at 400 degrees for a half hour or until their skin crisps and they are soft like a cooked potato. Allow them to cool before skewering them with meats for the garnish. 

In a shaker, combine vodka and dry vermouth with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled, wide Martini glass. Garnish with skewer of meats and vegetables and drizzle Smokehouse whiskey over the glass. (Note: this cocktail is not vegan, even if you leave off the meats. MurLarkey Smokehouse has residual bacon from the smoker.)

Kummeltini (Original Recipe)

 

I can't believe that there's not a Kummeltini. Not one that I can find, anyway. Being stuck at home has got me doing lots of crafty things like pickling and making my own liquors. One of these crafty things is making kummel. This is a German contribution to the spirit world. It is predominantly sweet but sometimes comes in dry varieties. The thing about kummel is that, while you can by commercially available brands, most Europeans make it in their own way. 

Caraway is the main ingredient. Cinnamon, anise, clove, and dill are other options, but you are not limited there. Then the infused spirit is sweetened with honey for a delicious and savory cordial treat. A little is all that is necessary in the Kummeltini, but the garnish needs to be something that is a little briny and sweet as well. I recommend a vegetable or even a fruit that has been in pickle juice for less than a day. I used a cherry tomato. It will still be crisp and fresh, and sweet if you use something juicy like I did. But it also signals in scent and taste the dill and spice of the Kummel.

• 2 oz. vodka (Smirnoff no. 57 used)
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. kummel
• pickled tomato or other lightly pickled fruit or vegetable

Combine liquid ingredient in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a speared pickle of a fruit or vegetable. 

Vintage Martinis With Homemade Gins

Here aret two new gins I've been making at home. After several batches, I've settled on the recipes and I am ready to share them, knowing that they are pretty solid. It was a matter of proportions of botanicals to spirits, as well as a tricky trial and error period for infusion time.

Let me be clear, I don't have a still. I wouldn't mind getting into the weeds of how to make gin completely from grains. But I don't have the equipment and it is unlikely that my readers do either. Instead, I'm offering recipes for bathtub gin or steeped gin. These are neutral (or mostly neutral) spirits infused with gin botanicals. The types of gin, their recipes and cocktails I've used them in can be found below:

Dry Gin

Most gin drinkers are familiar with dry gins. There's no added sugar or juices, just dry fruit peels, berries and seeds. Feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking, but know that this method is safe.

In a large jar with an airtight lid add the following and allow to steep for three days. Strain out solids through mesh and store in a bottle with an airtight stopper or cap.

• 1/4 cup juniper berries
• 1 tbsp. angelica seeds
• peel of 1/2 of a lemon
• peel of 1/2 of an orange
• 1 tsp. anise seeds (1/2 anise pod is okay but not ideal.)
• 2-3 sprigs of basil
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 750-ml. bottle of 100-proof vodka  

 

Dutch Courage or Shiedam Gin

Steeped gin is kind of a Dutch tradition. The original Dutch genever was made with a malted barley mash with juniper berries fermenting in it. Then the mash was distilled and later flavored by steeping more botanicals. To replicate this malt distillate, I used moonshine rather than vodka. Climax Moonshine from Virginia has the perfect flavor that I'm looking for. It is made from corn, sugar and malted barley, so it has that beery nose that a Dutch gin needs. Finally, after steeping the botanicals, I added 1 1/2 oz. of malt whiskey. This is because Dutch gin is often aged for a few months. Malt whiskey like Copper Fox single malt or Virginia distillery whiskey will work. If you cant get these, use a single malt Irish whiskey. There's no peat in Dutch gin, so a malty and even slightly smoky whiskey will do, but not Scotch. 

Add the moonshine and all dry ingredients to a jar with an airtight lid and allow to steep for ten days. Strain out solids using a mesh strainer and add malt whiskey. Store in a bottle with an airtight stopper or cap.

• 1/4 cup juniper berries
• 1 tbsp. angelica seeds
• 1/4 tsp. corriander
• 1/4 tsp. crushed cardamom 
• 1 pinch fresh rosemary
• 1 pinch fresh basil
• 1 tsp. dried birch leaves
• 3 cups of Climax moonshine or other white whiskey with malt character
  
• 1 1/2 oz. malt whiskey 

Classic Martini With Homemade Dry Gin:

This is classic Prohibition style Martini with classic proportions. Lots of gin and a fair amount of vermouth.  

• 3 oz.  homemade dry gin
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• 1 dash orange bitters
• olives or lemon twist garnish

Stir liquid ingredients on ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish according to preference.  

Classic Martinez With Dutch Courage

You want a gin that plays like whiskey for a Martinez. It's a lot like a Manhattan, or more so than a Martini. 

• 3 oz. homemade Dutch courage
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• several dashes Luxardo maraschino liqueur
• one dash orange or aromatic bitters
• orange twist garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist the orange peel over the glass and drop it in. 

Moscvatini

I didn't know that this Martini variation even existed. As far as Martini's go, it's not overly extravagant, just sweet and herbal. But I have to say that if you haven't had a black olive with kummel, you are missing out. It is the sweet honey and herbal flavors with the dark scent of black olive and vodka. Don't pass up the chance to make this especially dank and very Russian cocktail.

• 1 1/2 oz. vodka (Smirnoff #57 used)
• 1 oz. kummel (homemade used)
• black olive

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the black olive. 

Allies

Gin and kummel go well together, so the thinking goes. Why not put two German spirits in a single cocktail and enjoy it with a little dry vermouth? What a classic pairing!

Monkey 47 is a dry gin with black forest botanicals that make this gin the deluxe brand that it is. Kummel is sweet and requires a dry gin to keep the balance. What you get is a cocktail that is more than the sum of its parts. There's juniper and caraway, gentian and fennel, anise seed and black pepper! Too many flavors to take in at one time. Make yourself a second drink!

• 1 oz. gin (Monkey 47 used)
• 1 oz. dry vermouth
• several dashes of kummel (1/2 oz. recommended)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into an Old Fashioned glass full of fresh ice. 

Dutch Martini

This is a cocktail that kind of swings between a classic Martini with gin and a Dry Manhattan with malt whiskey. That is because Dutch genever like Bols is made (in part) with a malted barley mash that is steeped in juniper and botanicals. The juniper and herbal flavor is lighter than gin, but it also has a heavy malt body and a beery nose. So I am doing this drink because it really isn't like any other Martini, or any other cocktail for that matter.

This recipe appears in Poister's New American Bartender's Guide, 1997 edition. This was a time where vermouth was at its lowest influence, in terms of people's preference for Martinis. The recipe calls for a half teaspoon of dry vermouth, but I happen to like to use more, particularly when it is good vermouth like Carpano Extra Dry.

• 1 1/2 oz. Bols Genever 
• 1/2 tsp. dry vermouth (Carpano used)
• lemon twist

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist lemon zest over the glass and drop it in.