Dry MartiniCocktail recipe
Rating
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
The Dry Martini is the archetypal gin cocktail: spare, bracing, and built around the interplay of spirit and aromatised wine. You’ll find its roots in the late-19th-century Martini family of drinks, evolving from sweeter, vermouth-forward serves into the drier style that defines modern tastes. As gin styles sharpen and vermouth becomes a measured accent rather than a main player, the drink turns into a statement of restraint—one that becomes a byword for sophistication in bars and popular culture alike.
With just gin and white vermouth, the flavour is all about clarity and balance. The gin’s crisp, botanical backbone leads, while the white vermouth brings a gentle herbal lift and a subtle wine-like softness that rounds the edges. Expect a clean, dry finish where the vermouth’s aromatics briefly bloom, then give way to the gin’s lingering structure.
Serve it cold in a cocktail glass when you want something focused and uncompromising—an aperitif that wakes up your palate rather than sweetening it. It suits minimalists, gin lovers, and anyone who appreciates a drink that feels tailored and timeless, whether it’s a quiet pre-dinner moment or a dressed-up evening out.
Microbadges
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Cocktail Colin says:
Gin leads with crisp, juniper-forward bite, while a small measure of white vermouth adds a lightly herbal, winey softness that rounds the edges without dulling the spirit’s snap. This works because the vermouth’s aromatised notes temper the gin’s intensity and add depth; it’s ideal for drinkers who like clean, bracing, spirit-driven cocktails.
Method
How to make a Dry Martini
- Gin 60ml, White vermouth 10ml
-
- Add the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes
-
- Stir well then strain into a chilled cocktail glass
-
- Garnish with an olive and a squeeze of lemon peel oil and serve
Power tips
Elevate the Dry Martini with these master mixologist tips
Upgrade to premium
And receive world class tips on how to raise your cocktails to the next level.
Find out more- Store your gin in the freezer. The extra-chilled gin will make your Dry Martini even crisper and smoother.
- Add just a few drops of orange bitters to enhance the complexity of the Martini without overpowering the classic flavors.
- Upgrade to premium to receive even more power tips on this cocktail.
Your private tasting notes
Featured in
FAQ's
What is the history of the Dry Martini?
The Dry Martini is a classic cocktail with debated origins. One popular theory suggests it evolved from a cocktail called the Martinez, served in the mid-1800s in Martinez, California. Another theory points to the bartender Jerry Thomas at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco who might have invented it for a miner on his way to Martinez. Over time, the Dry Martini became known for its simpler, drier profile compared to earlier versions, primarily due to the reduced amount of vermouth.
How should a Dry Martini be served?
A Dry Martini should be served cold in a chilled cocktail glass. It is traditionally stirred over ice, then strained into the glass. A lemon twist or an olive can be used as a garnish, depending on personal preference.
What is the difference between a Dry Martini and a Wet Martini?
The difference lies in the amount of vermouth used. A Dry Martini contains less vermouth, typically with a higher gin to vermouth ratio, like the recipe provided with 60ml of gin to 10ml of white vermouth. A Wet Martini, on the other hand, has a higher proportion of vermouth to gin, making it milder and slightly sweeter.
Can I substitute gin with another spirit in a Dry Martini?
While gin is the traditional spirit used in a Dry Martini, you can substitute it with vodka to make a Vodka Martini. The choice of spirit changes the flavor profile significantly, offering a cleaner, less botanical taste compared to the classic gin-based version.
Is there a specific type of vermouth recommended for a Dry Martini?
For a Dry Martini, dry (or white) vermouth is recommended to complement the botanicals in the gin and maintain the cocktail's crisp, dry character. The quality of vermouth can significantly affect the taste of the drink, so choosing a high-quality brand that matches your taste preferences is advisable.
Upgrade your mixology
Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. Or become a premium member to rise to cocktail greatness.
- Save your bar forever
- Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
- Access to Cocktail Colin; ask Cocktail Colin anything on an individual cocktail and he'll give you the answers you need.
- Create personalised cocktail menus for all your events, bars or parties
- Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
- Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
- Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
- A personalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
- And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Have you tried our Wordpress Plugin?
Download our plugin and embed cocktail recipes directly onto your own site or blog.
Choose from our whole recipe database, or choose a specific cocktail made with a certain ingredient, and let us place a beautiful recipe on your own site.
Find out moreYou might also like
Dive into this robust mix of spirits and cola
Long Island Iced Tea
White rum, Gin, Tequila blanco, Vodka, Cointreau, Cola, Lemon juice, Sugar / simple syrup
Try this lavender-infused champagne cocktail
Lavender French 75
Gin, Champagne / prosecco, Lemon juice, Lavender syrup
Discover this festive mix of gin and mincemeat
Mince pie martini
Gin, Dark rum, Red vermouth, Sugar, Mincemeat
Try this frothy mix of gin and citrus
White Lady
Gin, Triple sec, Lemon juice
Create a cocktail
Choose a theme and some ingredients, give us some description and we'll create an amazing cocktail for you.
Register as a Premium Make Me a Cocktail community member and get access to an even more powerful creator.
Start creatingBuild your bar
Tell us what you have at home and we’ll find a delicious cocktail for you to make right now.
Register as a Make Me a Cocktail community member and we’ll save your ingredients list so you can come back to it at any time.
Create My Bar
Cocktail Colin
Your cocktail expert
Hi! I'm Cocktail Colin
Ask me anything about this cocktail - how to make it, substitutions, variations, or any other questions!
Become a member to access Cocktail Colin
Become a member (for free) to pick Cocktail Colin's cocktail filled brain on everything on this cocktail, from substitutions, if you can use what you have, to serving suggestions and more.
Become a member
Comments