martini

Martini typically refers to two related things: a brand of vermouth and the cocktail that bears its name. The Martini line is produced by Martini & Rossi, an Italian company founded in Turin in 1863 by Alessandro Martini, Luigi Rossi, and Teofilo Sola. The brand has historically offered several vermouth varieties, including Martini Rosso (red, sweet), Martini Bianco (white, sweetish), and Martini Extra Dry (dry). Vermouth is a fortified wine flavored with botanicals such as herbs and roots.

The martini cocktail is traditionally made by combining gin with a small amount of dry vermouth, and serving the mixture well chilled in a stemmed glass. Classic recipes vary in proportion, with common gin-to-vermouth ratios ranging from about 2:1 to 6:1. The drink is typically stirred with ice and strained, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Variations include the vodka martini, which substitutes vodka for gin; a dry martini, which uses less vermouth; a wet martini, which uses more; and a dirty martini, which adds a small amount of olive brine.

Origin and cultural associations of the martini are not definitively documented. The cocktail rose to prominence in the early to mid-20th century and became associated with a sense of sophistication in American and European nightlife. It is a staple in bartending literature and popular culture, where it is commonly linked to elegance and ritual. The phrase “shaken, not stirred” is often associated with martinis through James Bond fiction and film, though many bartenders advocate stirring to preserve clarity and texture.