Skip to main content

Is a warm Martini cocktail with 50-50 ratio still a Martini cocktail?


This post is directly related to the article: 
Are Martinis better at Room Temperature
 ...on liquor.com.

To be honest, I was pretty upset and maybe slightly disgusted when I read the title. Because I know, how bad a drink can be, if the temperature isn’t right (that means extremely cold).
When I though read the article through, I had a bit of an insight and I think, that it isn’t necessary wrong. Well - only one thing might be wrong - a slightly chilled drink, which has a ratio of 50-50 and has added water, isn’t necessary a Martini Cocktail anymore.

The question is that: what makes a (real) Martini Cocktail? Wait a minute - this was more of a rhetorical question. Or at least: think about a Gin Fizz and a Tom Collins first before you answer.

Not only the ingredients make a cocktail, but rather the (main) ingredients, its character, its size, its presentation (...). And especially when it comes to character, a warm martini wouldn’t be a martini.

Chacun à son goût. Personally I wouldn’t really recommend to drink the mixture of half gin and half vermouth with some chilled water at slightly below room temperature. Gin or vodka don’t have the oak aged qualities of an oak aged spirit neither the intense aromatic of e.g. an eau de vie or a grappa.
The room temp Manhattan’s, which are also mentioned in the article, make more sense - the Manhattan has almost the taste of a whiskey, which went through extended sherry or port oak aging (or finishing). But even then the question remains - is a room temp Manhattan still a Manhattan?

And no - I wouldn’t say so. In fact you could even argue, that “room temperature cocktails” are not cocktails (at least in a bar-technical sense) anymore.
Cocktails are shaken or stirred with ice and they should be very cold. This is one of the most significant character traits of a cocktail (and especially of a Martini cocktail).

Don’t get me wrong - I like the whole idea about room temperature drinks (not so much gin or vodka though as previously stated). At times you can simulate finishing, you can also take of the edge of some spirits, with some sweetness of a dessert wine. And I am experimenting mainly at home with these “techniques”. 
However the bar of the article seems to make it out of one reason: it is just another point how to diversify from other bars and get press.

I am using liquid nitrogen to chill my glass. And the martini cocktail is as it should be: dry and as cold as it gets. And people love it. The end.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to use citric acid - and why you might not want to use it anyway!

To be honest, I shied away of this topic, because I think, people can misinterpret this - big time. I don't want to be part of the problem - I want to be part of the solution!  But when Chris, over at A Bar Above  discussed this subject- I literally could not resist to join into "the discussion". Here is the video: I - however take a bit slower approach than Chris. What is citric acid? Chemical Compound Citric acid is a weak organic acid with the formula C6H8O7. It is a natural preservative/conservative and is also used to add an acidic or sour taste to foods and drinks. Wikipedia Formula: C6H8O7 Molar Mass: 192.124 g/mol Melting Point: 153C Density: 1.66 g/cm3 Boiling point: 175C Soluble in: Water Why is it controversial? In my "mixology world" it is controversial, as citric acid is the stuff, which makes the nightmarish sour mix [ preferably in powder form ] sour. Yeah - citric acid is the main ingredient in one of the most

Fentiman's - part deux

You might already know [otherwise just read my last post ], that Fentiman's Botanical Tonic Water taste great. And I mentioned, that I am not totally convinced of the other flavours... Let me now and here explain why. First to the great ones: Rose Lemonade is really nice... however I have to come across one rose drink, which doesn't taste really good. A couple of years I have reviewed [and tried] Sence - also a drink which is based on Bulgarian roses - and it was lovely. Fentiman's Rose Lemonade is not different - maybe slightly too acidic. Anyway - it is just great [however also very simple to replicate - citric acid, sugar syrup, carbonated water and rose water is all what you need...]. The Curiousity Cola is also nice - it is a bit more standalone and unique as other cola sodas- but hit the right spots. Only problem still is: the original just taste better and - well like the original. Cherrybark Cola - is another good soda. While I've expected it to taste

What is the best cranberry juice in the bar?

A good friend of me "whatsapp'ed" me today and asked for my expertise: "What is the best cranberry juice?" I would loved to just let him know the brand - however it is not that easy. What do we understand of cranberry juice? One of the biggest [maybe the  biggest producer] of cranberry products is Ocean Spray. And: it is well regarded. Problem is: it is not a juice! Wait - what? Ocean Spray doesn't produce a juice - they produce a juice cocktail - which translates into a lot of water, a lot of sugar, some taste-balancers as citric acid [nothing against this really] and a minuscule portion of juice - usually around 3%. Yes they have something which is called 100% juice. Which is on one hand true, on the other the biggest deception ever. Because you don't get 100% cranberry - you get a mixture of juices of concentrate - most of the time apple and white grape and a bit of cranberry. There are also some other brands around, which might feature a h