Perfect Martini

Difford's Guide
Discerning Drinkers (63 ratings)

Serve in a

Martini glass

Garnish:

Orange zest twist

How to make:

STIR all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.

1 1/2 fl oz Gin
3/4 fl oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth
3/4 fl oz Strucchi Rosso Vermouth
1 dash Orange Bitters by Angostura
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Read about cocktail measures and measuring.

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David Embury's birthday

The author of that seminal work, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, David Augustus Embury was born on this day in 1886 in Pine Woods, upstate New York. He

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Recipe contains the following allergens:

AKA:

Medium Martini, Somerset, the Queen

Review:

Made with equal parts gin, rosso vermouth and dry vermouth the result is almost sherry-like and suits the aperitivo moment. However, if you want that spirituous Martini punch then gin-forward, as per above, is for you.

History:

The Perfect Martini sits between a Dry Martini (with gin and dry vermouth) and a Sweet Martini (with gin and rosso vermouth) so is logically called a Medium Martini in Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book.

MARTINI (MEDIUM) COCKTAIL.
¼ French Vermouth.
¼ Italian Vermouth.
½ Dry Gin.
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Harry Craddock, 1930

In his 1948 The Fine Art Of Mixing Drinks, David Embury also calls this a "Medium Martini" and has a lot to say about those who call it "Perfect."

MEDIUM MARTINI
1 part French Vermouth
1 part Italian Vermouth
2 to 4 parts Gin
1 dash Orange Bitters &
1 dash Angostura to each drink
Some recipes call for orange bitters only and some omit the bitters altogether.
This cocktail also goes under the name Perfect. Someone once said that whoever named near-beer was a darned poor judge of distance. I say that whoever named the "Perfect" cocktail was a might poor judge of perfection.
It is also sometimes called the Somerset and, if made with equal parts of French vermouth, Italian vermouth, and gin, the Queen.

David Embury, 1948

Nutrition:

One serving of Perfect Martini contains 152 calories.

Alcohol content:

  • 1.5 standard drinks
  • 23.62% alc./vol. (47.24° proof)
  • 21.3 grams of pure alcohol
Difford's Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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David Embury's birthday image

David Embury's birthday

The author of that seminal work, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, David Augustus Embury was born on this day in 1886 in Pine Woods, upstate New York. He

Guy Fawkes / Bonfire Night Cocktails image

Guy Fawkes / Bonfire Night Cocktails

Remember, remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason, why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot.

National Nacho Day image

National Nacho Day

Not a fan of nachos? Then today is nacho lucky day! Yes, today is National Nacho Day, a day dedicated to those delicious fried tortilla chips that we love

National Harvey Wallbanger Day image

National Harvey Wallbanger Day

Of all the cocktails to have its very own day, the Harvey Wallbanger is probably the most surprising. But, yes, Harvey Wallbanger Day is a thing in American.

Irish Coffee arrived in America this day image

Irish Coffee arrived in America this day

The splendidly named Stanton Delaplane, a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, may have won a Pulitzer Prize for Reporting, but his legacy remains

Happy Hour Day image

Happy Hour Day

Every hour should be happy but in most bars, this term does not reflect a collective state of joyousness but a period of comparatively cheap booze. Not

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