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Duke's Dry Martini - The 'Naked' or 'Direct' Martini

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (25)
Duke's Dry Martini - The 'Naked' or 'Direct' Martini image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1⁄6 fl oz Chilled water/mineral water
1⁄12 fl oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth
2 1⁄2 fl oz Hayman's London Dry Gin

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

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How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Martini glass

Prepare

  1. Select a MARTINI GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of skewered chilled green olive &/or lemon zest twist.

Method

  1. FREEZE glass and bottle of gin by placing them in a freezer for at least two hours before making the cocktail.
  2. An hour before making drink POUR water into frozen glass, swirl around to coat and place back in freezer. Preferably do this with a little of the water at a time. Continue to swirl around during freezing process to coat the sides of the glass.
  3. When ready to serve, POUR chilled vermouth into icy glass and swirl to coat with vermouth.
  4. POUR frozen gin into glass.
  5. Serve immediately.

Garnish

  1. Garnish with skewered olive or lemon zest twist.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Duke's Dry Martini - The 'Naked' or 'Direct' Martini contains 168 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.8 standard drinks
  • 34.56% alc./vol. (69.11° proof)
  • 24.7 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

History

Giuseppe Cipriani documents his use of a freezer to make Dry Martinis in his 1978 book L'angolo dell'Harry's Bar, seven years before what is now known as the Duke's Martini was introduced to the bar at London's Dukes Hotel by Salvatore Calabrese who served it first to American journalist, Stanton Delaplane.

See: The Truth behind th 'Naked' or 'Direct' Dry Martini

Review

The quantities of gin and vermouth stated in this recipe produce a Dry Martini with a 30:1 ratio of gin to vermouth. A small amount of dilution is achieved as the ice coating the frozen glass melts. Both glass and gin must be freezing cold so that the temperature masks the strength of the alcohol. Thus the drink does not taste nearly as strong as it is – you have been warned.

AKA: Diamond Martini

Variations/similar cocktails

Use an atomiser to coat glass with vermouth.

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Makes a minimum of 10 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


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Comments & Discussion

Heidi Engel
Please share the glass/glass manufacturer please….it is one “sexy” glass
score: 0
Chris Garner Premium Member
I don’t consider the Duke martini to be e a proper martini. Classic cocktail books will tell you to add way more vermouth to the drink then Duke’s uses (I think early days it was 1;1 and then 2:1 during prohibition in the US. I think a lot of people are not cocktail nerds and follow the crowd of whatever is he bartender makes similar to how the old fashioned is. They have just heard of the name martini and never actually cared to know what is in it.
score: 2
Carl Tornell
While I agree on the method, in my opinion you need more vermouth. Extensive tasting left us with 5:1 gin and vermouth as the ideal balance. The"looking towards France" sort of thing is nonsense. The precise point of a martini is that the vermouth takes the edge off the gin, so it cannot be neglected.
score: 0
Mike O'Loughlin Premium Member
Who doesn’t have a freezer draw dedicated to glassware? Must be young enough to have kids at home! This is an exceptionally good cocktail. I wasn’t sure how many swirls of water. I did 4 over an hour or so. Then a swirl of vermouth and tip out the rest before the gin with a slice of lemon. Fantastic on a warm evening. I might have another - there is always more glassware ready!
score: 1
Tuber Magnatum Premium Member
As per my last comment, I just mixed this as per instructions with the water element. Recognizing it was a couple of days ago and I didn't try the two versions back to back, I can say that I prefer the drink with the thin layer of frozen water. It is imperceptible in terms of dilution, but for me rounds out the drink with its high alcohol content. Maybe for the same reason that a little water helps whisky? And it didn't take much more effort. Highly recommend.
score: 1
Tuber Magnatum Premium Member
Just tried at home after having the pleasure of drinking one at Duke's Bar made by Alessandro Palazzi himself. I used Monkey 47 gin (Does this qualify as a "London dry gin or is it as I have seen also described a "Modern gin"?) with his preferred vermouth, Sacred English Amber. I chose not to dilute with water as prescribed in this version as I wanted to "recreate" the version I had. Delicious as it was, I can't wait to try with the added water by freezing for comparison. Will report back!
score: 2
Theo Clark
I used this for a palate cleanser after a few horribly sweet drinks, and it's really quite a spectacular kind of martini. High effort, but if you like martinis normally you owe it to yourself to try this once. Also works fantastic with vodka instead of gin!
score: 0
Peter Barth
very effervescent.
the time/work and freezer space is making this a one off for me tho.
score: 1
Nick Buck
Salvatore is at Donovans Bar in Browns Hotel now. The martini there certainly warrants a visit (not cheap mind!)... I think it's the best in London. Last excursion there I had the vodka one (Grey Goose) with an olive, bloody delicious! I will certainly try it at home!!
score: 0
John Hinojos Premium Member
Excellent, cold, and very spirit forward. The quality of your gin and vermouth with make a huge difference in this cocktail. Was worth all the planning and prep to make the cocktail.
score: 1

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Difford’s Shop logo
$3.40 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 10 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


Orders are processed by a licensed Fulproof retailer. The buy now button is added simply for convenience.

Checkout

* May not include all ingredients. Price per cocktail is an estimate based on cost of one cocktail with ingredients shown above and does not include shipping.

Visit Difford’s Shop USA

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