Lynette McWilliams

What makes a drink a martini?

My parents drank the classic dry gin martini, although I was aware of vodka martinis. When I have asked bartenders this they tend to say it's the vodka that makes it a martini, which makes little sense since there are gin martinis and other types of vodka drinks. And I have found some things called martinis that contained no gin, vodka or vermouth. As far as I can tell, if you serve it in a martini glass, you can call it a martini. Am I missing something?

Dane

Basically it's gin or vodka with vermouth. Flavored martinis are just variations on a theme that will be typically vodka with flavoring.

Rachel

I'm not really a Martini fan but I guess the one with no gin, vodka or vermouth is a mocktail version. I asked my bartender cousin too and she said it can be either GIN or VODKA based. For customers that wants something stronger she gives them GIN based. With this, I think it's preference based. Hope this helps :)

Lynette McWilliams

No I'm not talking about a mocktail with no alcohol. I'm talking about all the sweet martinis like many of the recipes show here. Most of them do have some sort of vodka, although sometimes a flavored one. But the Mexican martini listed here has only olive juice as a nod to the original and the hurricane and pecan pie ones don't have anything that makes them seem at all like a martini.

Rachel

Well yes, it's a public community so a lot of recipes on their own take of what is called a Martini were added here - original and then some more. 🍸