Vodkatini
The early decades of the 20th century saw the gradual emergence of vodka in the USA and as gin is often described as being a flavoured vodka, so vodka inevitably found its way into the ever drier Martini.
According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, the first vodka cocktail on record in the U.S. comes from New Hampshire, where, in 1905, a bartender mixed up a few cocktails for a visiting Russian delegation. By 1911, the Russian Cocktail comprising three-fifths vodka and two-fifths Ruihinoy (a Russian cherry cordial made of cherry stones), frappe and strained, was on the menu at the St Charles Hotel, New Orleans.
Fast forward to 1938 and such was the popularity of vodka in post-Prohibition America that New York's Russian Tea Room created an all-vodka cocktail menu.
The earliest known reference to the Vodka Martini occurs in Ted Saucier's 1951 Bottoms Up, but it is Ian Fleming's character James Bond who famously drinks Vodka Martini's "shaken, not stirred", and the rise of vodka during the 1980s and 1990s, that made vodka the spirit of choice for many, if not most, in their Martinis.
Vodkatini / Vodka Dry Martini - the classic with just vodka and dry vermouth.
Vesper - a James Bond's "shaken not stirred" Martini with both gin and vodka.
Bearskin Martini - a Vodkatini with a hint of Kümmel.
Dry Ice Martini - a Vodkatini martini with Canadian icewine.
Dutch Martini - a Vodkatini with jenever and orange curaçao.
Kangaroo Dry Martini - the name David Embury gives to a vodka martini in his The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks.
Flame of Love Martini - with vodka, orange peel and fino sherry this cocktail is said to have been a favorite of Dean Martin.
Z Martini Tawny port replaces vodka in this noughties cocktail from Boston, USA.
Voyager Martini - a vodkatini with vermouth, sake and pisco.
