’Tini talks

The best gin for Martinis, according to the experts

iStock/Getty Images Plus/ Mustafa Bugra Celik photo

Was it bartender Jerry Thomas, at San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel in the 1860s or was it Tartini di Taggia at New York’s Knickerbocker Hotel in 1911 who invented the Martini? And is it a 5:1 ratio of gin to dry vermouth or equal parts that is the correct recipe these days?

While it seems that the Martini’s origins and recipe are, well, mixed, few cocktails rival the Martini in its ability to showcase the intricate nuances of a spirit, with each ingredient playing a crucial role in crafting the perfect sip. From the classic dry Martini, with its clean, bracing profile, to innovative twists incorporating a spectrum of botanicals and garnishes, gin Martinis provide a platform for both convention and creativity.

We recently chatted with our panel of industry experts to see what gin they’re currently drinking and their preferred Martini specs. The tasting panel for this edition features Evelyn Chick, Chantelle Gabino and Dash Tume from Toronto, Ontario, and Soren Schepkowski, Zoe Bates and Robyn Gray, from Vancouver, B.C.

Evelyn Chick

Plymouth English Gin
41.2% ABV, $45.99 in BC / $47.80 in Ontario, 750 mL

“Plymouth is always my go to [for Martinis],” remarks Evelyn Chick, owner of Simpl Things, Ahma and Love of Cocktails. “It has a slightly higher ABV, is perfectly juniper-forward and has some cardamom and coriander notes. Texturally, too, it’s got some nice body fit for any Martini preference whether it be 50:50, 2:1, with orange bitters, or even with a bit of olive brine for those who like a dirty Martini.”

When asked about her preferred recipe for a Martini, Chick notes, “For me, as I’m getting older, I prefer a 50:50 Martini with a twist. Depending on the gin I will select a different style of vermouth.”

Why Plymouth English Gin for a Martini: “Right now I’m into the Plymouth English Gin and Guerra Dry Vermouth combination with a lemon twist and an olive. The subtle olive break in between sips is just a hit of salinity that ties the drink all together. But to me, Martinis are such a personal experience. At our cocktail bar we have a ‘Make Your Martini’ sheet that allows guests to choose their own adventure. They can really dive into preferences and pick their own specs and garnishes.”

Make Evelyn Chick’s 50:50 Martini

Chantelle Gabino

Roku Gin
43% ABV, $50.99 in BC / $55.20 in Ontario, 750 mL

“Lately, I’ve been loving experimenting with Roku Gin because it offers a unique botanical structure to complement the occasion or style of cocktail I’m making or drinking,” says Chantelle Gabino, beverage manager for Recipe Unlimited Corporation. “I like to vary the ratios and method based on if I’m drinking this with food or alone, indoors or outdoors and if it’s hot or cold outside.”

Why Roku Gin for a Martini: “Six of the botanicals found in Roku are distinctively unique to Japan, in addition to the eight traditional gin botanicals,” says Gabino. “The ones that stand out to me are sansho¯ pepper, cherry blossom [sakura flower], sakura leaf, yuzu peel and sencha tea.”

Make Chantelle Gabino’s Dirty Gin Martini

Dash Tume

Sipsmith London Dry Gin
41.6% ABV, around $49.50 in BC (SPEC product) / $45.25 in Ontario, 750 mL

“For my classic gin Martini, I like to use a juniper- and citrus-forward gin with a gentle body to highlight the flavours and which will stand up well alongside the vermouth,” says Dash Tume, head bartender at Toronto’s Bar Pompette. “I like my Martini pretty wet with a 2:1 ratio of freezer-cold Sipsmith gin to extra-dry Italian vermouth with a dash of orange bitters.”

In terms of crafting the optimal gin Martini, Tume suggests that imbibers should “stir longer than you think, until it’s super cold and smooth on the palate, and serve it up in your most elegant stemware and garnish with a twist of lemon peel. I prefer to leave the twist on the side.”

Why Sipsmith London Dry Gin for a Martini: “I like Sipsmith London Dry Gin because its warm juniper notes shine in a Martini with a citrusy middle tone and a subtle hint of green herbs in the background support the velvety texture that I look for in a Martini,” notes Tume.

Make Dash Tume’s Wet Martini

Soren Schepkowski

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
46% ABV, $54.99 in BC / $58.99 in Ontario, 750 mL

“To me, a Martini should be bracingly cold with a good kick,” notes Soren Schepkowski, bar manager at Mount Pleasant Provisions in Vancouver. “To get it that cold you need to stir it for a long time, which adds a ton of water and can kill some of the flavour. The Botanist Islay Dry Gin being a higher proof spirit helps it keep its character and delivers that bite. This makes it a great gin for any cocktail, but works especially well in a Martini.”

Why The Botanist Islay Dry Gin for a Martini: “Made from one of my favourite scotch producers, Bruichladdich, on the isle of Islay in Scotland, The Botanist Islay Dry Gin uses 22 locally foraged botanicals making it a true expression of where it comes from,” Schepkowski says. “The gin has great layered complexity and concentration, easily enjoyable on its own, but benefits from a touch of vermouth.”

Make Soren Schepkowski’s Gin Martini

Zoe Bates

Saigon Baigur Gin
43% ABV, $64.99 in BC / $74.95 in Ontario, 700ml

Zoe Bates, bartender and marketing manager at Vancouver’s Laowai Cocktail Bar, prefers, in her words “a good wet gin Martini.” For those who aren’t up on their martini lingo, “wet” is a term that describes the use of a high proportion of dry vermouth. While there’s no exact agreed-upon proportion that makes a Martini wet, Bates’s version would be a 2:1 ratio of gin to vermouth.

“I’m excited and love to use Saigon Baigur Gin in my Martinis,” notes Bates. “It’s the first gin to be distilled in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and features 12 locally sourced botanicals that give it an exceptionally unique flavour that comes through in cocktails.”

Why Saigon Baigur Gin for a Martini: “Some of the more unexpected botanicals it uses are dragon fruit and bird’s eye chilis, giving it a little bit of fruity sweetness and subtle spice,” Bates says.

Make Zoe Bates’ Wet Gin Martini

Robyn Gray

Copperpenny 005 Social Project Gin
43.0% ABV, $57.00, 750 mL (order direct from the distillery)

“I am an enormous fan of the Martinez, which is the precursor to the modern-day dry Martini,” says Robyn Gray, lead bartender at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Lobby Lounge. “The reference of ‘dry’ in a Martini originally referred to the drink being prepared with dry vermouth instead of the sweet vermouth as we see with the Martinez. Then nomenclature changed and ‘dry’ became a descriptor for the amount of dry vermouth to be used rather than the type.”

Why Copperpenny 005 Social Project Gin for a Martinez: “Copperpenny 005 Social Project Gin is made by Copperpenny Distilling Co. in North Vancouver,” says Gray. “This local gin features gentle citrus flavours and exotic Mediterranean spices including Bulgarian juniper, Egyptian coriander and Moroccan grains of paradise. Well rounded, this gin is specifically designed for use in cocktails.”