Martinis and Manhattans (and Rob Roys)
There are two basic cocktails a brother should know how to make without having to look up a recipe.
Naturally, these are the martini and the manhattan. Classic, old school cocktails with universal appeal. Even Grandma likes ‘em.
The Martini
Ingredients
- 3 oz quality gin
- 1 oz dry vermouth
- handful of ice
- Olives and/or cocktail onions skewered on a toothpick
- Optional — Splash of olive brine (”juice” from the olive jar)
Equipment
- cocktail shaker w/ strainer
- chilled (preferably) cocktail glass
Instructions
Fill your martini shaker with ice, and pour in the vermouth, the olive brine if you want your martini a little dirty, followed by the gin.
Seal up the shaker and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds, or until the shaker is almost too cold to hold.
Strain the contents into a glass, garnish with olive.
If you prefer a stronger drink, increase the gin to 4oz, but no more. Too much gin tastes like Pine-scented household cleaner. (and really if you want straight gin, just have straight gin)
The Manhattan
The manhattan is a dark, sultry cocktail made with bourbon. It’s slightly sweet, but still quite sturdy. While a martini is a good aperitif, a manhattan is a better digestif.
The Rob Roy is a Manhattan made with Scotch whiskey instead of Bourbon. The Rob Roy is slightly less sweet than a Manhattan with a different (scothier) character, but still quite tasty.
Ingredients
- 3oz of quality bourbon
- 1oz of sweet vermouth
- 1 maraschino cherry for garnish
- Handful of ice
Equipment
(see above)
Instructions
Prepare as above, starting with the ice first, followed by the vermouth, then the bourbon. Shake vigorously until the shaker is too cold to hold on to, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.