The ideal Martini making jacket

[couch]

Honestly, who here has been to a home where the gentleman of the house has worn a smoking jacket...say the last decade?

Just one data point, and in Dallas, so probably atypical, but I was a guest at a Christmas party in 2009 at which the host (in his early 40s) wore a smoking jacket. He was also mixing Martinis at 3 to 1 proportions, so clearly a traditionalist. He seemed perfectly natural and at ease doing both.

[storeynicholas]

Couch - you hit the nail on the head - most men these days evidently feel uptight about wearing anything other than the anonymous tat of their peers; although from all the talk and the mere availability of RTW smoking jackets, we must suppose that there is a significant number still interested, and interested enough to make the enterprise of supplying smoking jackets commercially viable.

A smoking suit or jacket (just the same as any other clothing) needs to be worn in to make it comfortable; moreover a smoking suit/jacket is the kind of item that should last a lifetime. Some people can afford many different styles and alternate them day by day. The result is that they have many acquaintances and few friends; whereas the man with the smoking outfit that is perfect for him has a friend for life. The advantage of the smoking suit in a material that can move seamlessley from a domestic dining room to the bedroom is that it is unlikely to tempt us to cavort, like Coco The Clown, around the streets and public places in it; with open-necked shirt, velvet slippers and no socks; proclaiming ourselves to be the harbingers of a new evening dress: such people [edited] are misguided [end edit] because events requiring evening dress are so few that it is surely sensible just to leave the mid-20th century prescription of it intact.

[carl browne]

He was also mixing Martinis at 3 to 1 proportions, so clearly a traditionalist.

Anyone mentioning martini proportions in a forum such as this is asking for real trouble. It's rumored that early aviators carried gin and vermouth in their craft in case of a crash landing. Upon extricating themselves from the wreckage, they would immediatley mix a batch of martinis. Inevitably within minutes someone would appear to tell them they were doing it wrong--thereby effecting a rescue.

Please forgive the digression.

C[/quote]

[couch]

Carl, that's a great anecdote. And you're right about asking for trouble, but I did not mean to be prescriptive--just to note that the proportion of vermouth in Martinis most commonly offered today is likely to be considerably smaller than in the early days of the drink. A 3 to 1 mix is rare enough in my experience to be remarked on, and it suggested someone with some historical perspective.

[carl browne]

Indeed. First six-to-one, then eight-to-one, then pouring the vermouth into the glass, swiriling it around, and slopping it into the sink. Finally just having the unopened bottle of vermouth sitting on the bar and glancing in the general direction for a moment as you stir (or shake).

Now there's a war on gin. I'm the only one I know who drinks it. There's this canard going around that it's bad for you, that it makes you mean, gives you terrible hangovers, etc., so everyone I know drinks their martinis with vodka. For me, this is an abomination. A cocktail of vodka and vermouth simply tastes like 80 proof . . . vermouth! Conversely, if you're not going to have the vermouth, why not drink your vodka straight from the freezer as the Russians do?

Fortunately, flavored vodkas are in vogue now and invariably the the flavor I choose for my martini is . . . juniper.

[couch]

Now there's a war on gin. I'm the only one I know who drinks it. There's this canard going around that it's bad for you, that it makes you mean, gives you terrible hangovers, etc., so everyone I know drinks their martinis with vodka. For me, this is an abomination. A cocktail of vodka and vermouth simply tastes like 80 proof . . . vermouth! Conversely, if you're not going to have the vermouth, why not drink your vodka straight from the freezer as the Russians do?

Fortunately, flavored vodkas are in vogue now and invariably the the flavor I choose for my martini is . . . juniper.

Hear, hear. Even if Bond did prefer vodka Martinis. Somewhere on the Lounge is an old thread in which the merits of different gins for Martinis are put forward. I confessed to a loyalty to Plymouth, still the smoothest I know. At the time the thread was written it was also still a mid-priced spirit: dearer than well stock, but considerably less than "premium" marketing brands, despite being the the gin supposedly specified in the original dry Martini recipe and the favorite of Roosevelt and other historical celebrities. But then it won the double gold and best in show in the 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and got a new bottle, and now it's marketed and priced as a premium spirit. I still think it's the best for Martinis, but the juice hasn't changed to justify the price increase--it all goes to fuel the campaign for increased market share. I suppose I won't grumble if it means I can find it stocked in more bars, but here in the States, at least, it's still often displaced by Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray 10, and Hendricks--none of which, in my humble opinion, make as good a Martini (though I like regular Bombay with tonic). But most bars will have four or five times as many vodkas as gins.

I think it's time to go home and limber up the shaker.

[storeynicholas]

Do you think that plymouth is dry enough for Martinis? For pink gin it's great. Used to be my local brew; even if it is Devenish.

[couch]

Certainly; at least it suits my taste. I usually just coat the ice in the shaker with fresh vermouth and pour it off before adding the gin and shaking; perhaps I'd feel differently if I used more vermouth. But I find most other gins I've tried to be too hot for my liking in a Martini. I like the full body of Plymouth, its particular aromatics, and its smoothness. Makes for a very elegant drink when mixed that dry (at Duke's Hotel bar they use Plymouth and 'mix' it by spraying the glass with vermouth from an atomizer--a little over the top, but good theater, I suppose). I garnish mine with cocktail olives rather than a twist; I can imagine those who prefer a twist might like a brighter-flavored gin. I must say that for Vespers I do like Hendricks as well, garnished with a very thin cucumber disk--picks up the cucumber note in the spirit.

[storeynicholas]

I'm glad that you like Plymouth gin; have you tried the overproof, which they started making again?

[couch]

Not knowingly, but I'm watchful for an opportunity (unlikely here in Pennsylvania, where we are lucky if the state monopoly stores carry even the original strength Plymouth. I can get none of the great Jerez brandies here, which is truly uncivilized).

On a related note, I have just run across this amusing document from 1966, published (tongue presumably in cheek) by the American Standards Association, Inc., entitled "Safety Code and Requirements for Dry Martinis." It is the product of the ASA Sectional Committee on Liquids Management (K-100). Enjoy . . . .

[Frog in Suit]

I once saw, for sale, a “pipette” (is that also an English word?) designed to drop just the perfect quantity of vermouth into the gin. I have also heard a recipe (receipt?), most likely apocryphal, alas, that one merely has to whisper “Vermont” from the other end of the room to achieve the perfect proportion…
I am an eight to one-man myself, chilling everything (gin, glass, utensils, pitcher, etc...) being essential. Beefeater is fine. I know I have landed in the US when I taste my first martini on the first evening of our yearly stay...
Frog in Suit

[storeynicholas]

I once saw, for sale, a “pipette” (is that also an English word?) designed to drop just the perfect quantity of vermouth into the gin. I have also heard a recipe (receipt?), most likely apocryphal, alas, that one merely has to whisper “Vermont” from the other end of the room to achieve the perfect proportion…
I am an eight to one-man myself, chilling everything (gin, glass, utensils, pitcher, etc...) being essential. Beefeater is fine. I know I have landed in the US when I taste my first martini on the first evening of our yearly stay...
Frog in Suit

Pipette is used in English, borrowed from the French, and usually refers to a utensil for the administration of droplets of medication (maybe it's not a coincidence that spirits are measured - if that's the word - here in Brazil by the dose; as , indeed (traditionally), is Absinthe). Pipettes are also used in laboratory experiments. I understand that Dukes Hotel usually offers Beefeater Crown Jewel in its Vespers and they omit the ice; using only frozen ingredients, to avoid dilution by water. But I don't think that Crown Jewel is over-proof. Incidentally, I discovered, in research, that 'proof' spirit was originally judged according to whether gunpowder soaked in the spirit would still ignite, and was a method used to test the integrity of Naval rum, until ore exact science took the stand. The American gin Dry Martini remains one of the greatest drinks, in my view; even though, thanks to all the film stars who drank there (and legendary head barman, Harry Craddock), it is also closely associated with the American Bar of The Savoy Hotel. Mind you, we once knew a head barman of another good London hotel who insisted on serving us tonics and gin in pint glasses. No, I did put them the right way around...

[alden]

NJS, this is great stuff. I never tried Crown Jewel; I gather it has recently been discontinued but some stocks remain. So far as I know it was never offered for sale in my state. It's been a couple of years since I had a Martini at Dukes Hotel, and I understand their long-time bartender struck out on his own, so my report on their Martini methods may be out of date (or perhaps they choose a different gin for their Vespers deliberately). Year before last at the Donovan Bar at Browns Hotel their "Modern Vesper" used Hendricks gin and Smirnoff Black vodka. I look forward to trying the American Bar at the Savoy this summer, assuming it still exists; I haven't been to the hotel since the renovation. They are also meant to do an excellent afternoon tea, I believe, though it would take some doing to best the Connaught or Claridge's on that score. What gin do you favor for straight Martinis?

from LL member Couch

[storeynicholas]

Thanks, Couch: Alessandro Palazzi was the bar manager at Dukes the last time I contacted them. The Vesper of the book Casino Royale originally specified Gordon's gin but that was decreased to 37.5% by alcohol volume so another had to be found at the right strength and Alessandro (anyway) seemed to favour Crown Jewel. Tanqueray is the right strength and readily available in most major cities. Over here (in the Sleepy Hollow) there is Seager's, which apparently is made under licence, although I don't recall it anywhere else.

The American Bar at The Savoy seems intact:

http://www.fairmont.com/savoy/GuestServ ... canBar.htm

I suppose that it must be listed as an historic building.

[Simply Refined]

The re-modeled American Bar is quite the sight, although I must confess to never having seen the old Savoy. Erik Lorincz is the current head barman though and makes quite the fantastic cocktail.