Real English Martini

Whilst we’ve been settling into our new Liphook home (which has already been extended to encompass an 11,000 sq ft warehouse!), we have also been working hard on our specialist subject,  the making of artisan spirits! We hope you have seen our redesigned bottles? London Dry Gin is now adorned with a new gold and black livery, whilst the Single Estate Vodka bottle is silver and black. Future flavours and drinks will reflect the redesign, which we think stands out perfectly on any reputable bar shelf and is particularly eye-catching on one of the beautiful drinks trolleys we have been hankering after.

Which leads us to the most important question of all, how do you make the perfect martini? It’s the quintessential cocktail, made up of two just ingredients, plus garnish of course! Over the years, the archetypal martini supping hero, James Bond, has drunk both gin and vodka-based martinis. And we feel qualified to say that whilst different, both spirits bring something special to this vintage cocktail. Whichever spirit you choose however, do remember that temperature is everything to capitalise on their natural viscosity. This is a drink best served cold, very cold. Freezing the glass and even the gin or vodka is a good start, whilst stirring it over ice for 30 seconds before serving is essential! In terms of whether you like your martini dirty, we prefer it with just a twist of lemon peel, keeping this perfect drink as simple as possible.

The Real English Martini

  • 4 parts chilled Redh Real English Dry London Gin or Single Estate Vodka
  • 1 part chilled dry vermouth
  • A strip of lemon peel (curly or straight you decide)
  • Ice

Put the martini glass in the freezer along with the gin or vodka and chill for at least half an hour. Half fill a large glass with ice and add the gin or vodka and vermouth. Stir for 30 seconds, strain into the chilled glass. Twist the lemon over the top of the drink, then wipe it around the rim of the glass and drop it in.

Enjoy!

Redh Real English Vodka and Gin can be purchased from www.redh.co.uk and our bar at: The Post Office, West Street, Haslemere.

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