Martini

Closing out gin week is the drink that probably should have kicked-off gin week. Oh well.

2.5 gin
1/2 vermouth

No garnish for me, thanks. I always found the olives to be a bit odd, and I didn’t have a lemon handy.

This drink taught me why I didn’t like the Bronx Cocktail. It wasn’t because the Bronx was “gin-y”, it was because the Bronx was “vermouth-y”. When the ratio of gin to vermouth is more strongly in gin’s flavor, like it is in a dry martini, the taste is fine.

Chanticleer

1 part gin
1.5 parts dry vermouth
.5 parts triple sec

I expected to dislike this, but it’s actually quite tasty. Crisper than the Pegu Club Cocktail, but not as overtly gin-y as the Bronx Cocktail. Not something I’ll drink all the time, but I can see making it again.

Apparently this is a non-standard version of the drink, but it’s the recipe I had at hand. Google ‘Chanticleer drink recipe’ and you’ll probably find the following recipe, which is closer to the drink’s prohibition roots:

1 egg white
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp raspberry syrup
2 oz gin

Doesn’t really sound like the same drink at all, really.

Pegu Club Cocktail

2 parts gin
1 part triple sec
1/2 part lime juice
Angostura to taste
Orange bitters to taste

(I used slightly more orange bitters than Angostura bitters)

Tasty!

Bronx Cocktail

2 parts gin
1 part orange juice
1/4 part sweet vermouth
1/4 part dry vermouth
Orange bitters to taste

This one is not a favorite. Apparently you can replace the gin with vodka. I may try that.