I’ve never been a huge fan of the classic martini. The idea of introducing the nearest hint of vermouth to a glass of neat gin doesn’t really appeal. Quite frankly I don’t see the point. To make a classic martini you are in essence drinking neat gin. I’ve never tried a gin that I enjoyed neat. For me gin is designed to be mixed. In this role it performs brilliantly. It is still the most common base spirit used in cocktail making.
A Martini base
In contrast I like the idea of a martini as a base. Over the last 15 years or so I have created many new cocktails which are named Martini. They contain either gin most commonly or sometimes vodka. I also ensure that vermouth plays a starring role in any concoction I make. So they’re proper martinis. Check out my recipe for the Lavender Martini. Or how about a Rose Martini? Or try a Raspberry Martini. I’ve refined all of these combinations and they’re all recommended.
The Pornstar Martini or the Espresso Martini by contrast are nothing to do with a martini. They carry the name but are only reflective of how they’re served, i.e. in a Martini glass – not a reference to the ingredients.
Wheat based vodka
I read an article recently about how top bars are increasingly switching to using wheat based vodkas to make a martini. I bought a bottle of Absolut Elyx which fits the description and decided to have a play.
80s revival with colour
Around the same time, I saw a recipe for a blue coloured martini. I thought it was a bit vivid but I like the concept. Why not bring back the brightly coloured cocktails of the 80s but update them? Clearly blue curacao is the obvious ingredient to make the drink blue. However I don’t want to make the resulting martini overly sweet and I want it to feel like a proper martini. Albeit a vodka martini. Deciding the name of this new cocktail came to me fairly quickly. Incidentally, have a look at my article on how I name new cocktails that I develop. A Sapphire Martini sounds glamorous and fitting for the drink. I also realised in an instant how I could make exactly the same martini but simply use a different third ingredient to give it a distinctive colour. I’m lucky enough to have some green curacao so that is an easy swap to produce the Emerald Martini that you see in the pictures here. How about yellow Chartreuse to make a Topaz Martini? I tried it and much as I love yellow Chartreuse it didn’t quite work. I felt the Chartreuse dominated the drink and so I will have another go at producing a yellow coloured martini, probably using Galliano next time.
Others for testing
The world is your oyster though. I will develop versions of this same martini such as the Orange Martini, an Amethyst Martini and a Black Martini using black liquirizio Italian liquorice liqueur that I have.
How do they taste?
It’s all very well for a cocktail to look great but if it doesn’t deliver on flavour too, the enjoyment won’t last. Both the Sapphire Martini and Emerald Martini taste good. They’re striking to look at and spirit forward. That’s just a fancy, drinks industry way of saying they’re quite spirity. But again this is how a martini should taste. The slight sweetness of a half measure of the blue or green curacao takes away some of the spirity burn. And Elyx vodka works a treat in this drink. It is soft and provides a good mellow base. I will try some of the other coloured martinis that I have in mind and post my thoughts on the Instagram account. @middle_england_mixologist
Sapphire Martini
- 35 ml Elyx vodka
- 25 ml Noilly Prat dry vermouth
- 12 ml blue curacao
Emerald Martini
- 35 ml Elyx vodka
- 25 ml Noilly Prat dry vermouth
- 12 ml green curacao
These drinks only need a modest amount of the third ingredient – half a measure – to give it colour and a hint of sweetness. See what you think. Cheers.