It's National Martini Day!

We've got our Peacock Martini glasses doing what they do best!

The elegant and sophisticated martini is probably one of the most famous cocktails around. “Shaken, not stirred” - this classic line from James Bond has ensured the martini has consistently remained at the top of the cocktail charts.

This versatile drink comes in many different forms. Bond’s favourite was the Vesper - made with gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc and a twist of lemon. And shaken of course. However, the classic martini is made solely with gin, dry vermouth and a garnish - simple but delicious. A dirty martini has a small amount of salty olive brine added to the mix, with an olive or two to garnish. The more brine you add, the dirtier it is.

Those folks out there who are sticklers for the cocktail rules will tell you that a martini can only really be made with gin. But vodka martinis are just as popular a request nowadays and bartenders will usually ask you what you prefer anyway.

As for the shaken or stirred debate… those in the know will tell you that the preferred option is stirred! By asking for it to be shaken, James Bond would probably have ended up with a slightly over-diluted and aerated drink - and more cloudy than crystal clear. So, the moral of the story - don’t shake it!

As for those in the know, we have chatted to the teams behind two of our absolute favourite gins and asked them to share their ideal martini recipes with us:

A fresh and citrussy take on the martini from Tarquin’s Cornish Gin

- 5 parts Tarquin’s Cornish gin
- 1 part dry Vermouth
- stirred
- garnish with a twist of pink grapefruit

The Sou' Wester from Hawthorn's Gin

- 45ml Hawthorn's Gin
- 25ml dry Vermouth
- 15ml olive brine
- stir well and strain into a chilled martini glass

One final piece of martini advice - it has to be cold, very cold. Chill your mixer before use and chill your glasses before filling them. Our Peacock Martini glasses would do this job very well for you.

Love,
Fiona & Olivia

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