Today’s featured gin cocktail is known as a cousin to the martini and the Manhattan (and perhaps borrows the best parts of each.) Before we get to the cocktail itself, I’d like to give a brief introduction to the necessary ingredients.

While I like to encourage BYOB – be your own bartender – I understand that when a recipe calls for ½ oz of something you’ve never used before, it might not seem worth it to buy an entire bottle. Thankfully, the ingredients in this cocktail have so many uses, they are more of an investment.

Gin – A quality gin is important to have on hand for any number of cocktails and sometimes you will find certain flavor profiles across different gins can lend themselves to particular drinks (for example, you’ll want to use a London Dry gin – such as Beefeater – for a French 75, while you’ll want to use an Old Tom gin – such as Bar Hill Tom Cat – for a Tom Collins.)

Sweet Vermouth – A dark red, fortified wine with aromatics and a sugar content of up to 15%, sweet vermouth is used in Manhattans, Negronis, Americanos and more. In addition to its uses in cocktails, you can also enjoy it just on the rocks or with a splash of soda and if you’re cooking you can deglaze the pan with it to add some depth of flavor. *Remember, since this is technically a wine, it should be stored in the refrigerator once opened.

Maraschino Liqueur – Made from the whole cherry – pits and stems included – this liqueur is sweet with a subtle bitterness. Fruity and nutty, it is a key ingredient in some classic cocktails such as the Aviation, the Last Word, Kentucky Summer, and the Hemenway Daiquiri.

Angostura bitters – Used to add flavor to cocktails, bitters are extremely concentrated and usually just a few dashes or shakes will go into a drink. Beverages that call for bitters include the Old Fashioned, the Sazerac, the Negroni, and many more.

If you’ve been adding up the ingredients as you’ve read, you may have already pieced together that today’s cocktail is the Martinez. Though no one knows for sure how the Martinez was invented, there is record of its existence as far back as the 1880’s and some believe it may actually have inspired its cocktail-relative, the martini. This delicious, rich libation has notes of soft juniper, herbal vermouth, and hints of dry cherry and almond.

The Martinez

2 oz gin (I chose Gray Whale which has a lingering almond flavor that is an added complement)

1 oz sweet vermouth

½ oz maraschino liqueur

3 dashes Angostura bitters

Orange peel

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add a handful of ice and stir continuously for 30 seconds. Strain into a glass and use a knife to remove a strip of orange peel. Squeeze the peel into the drink to release oils and run the peel along the edge of the glass. Place the orange peel in the glass as a garnish and enjoy.