Unlike my over the top Very Dirty Martini Cocktail with Smoked Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives, this clean and simple recipe resonates with me. If you follow this blog at all, you know I am whiskey/bourbon guy. I really enjoy making cocktails with rye or bourbon and I really like booze forward drinks. Sometimes I need something different.

The dirty martini linked above is great. It is very savory but like a said, a bit over the top with the smoke, blue cheese and olives. I really enjoyed the Vesper Martini Cocktail, which was also simple and clean. I started thinking, when was the last time I had just a classic, normal martini. I’m not sure I ever had. I started researching it. I know it had gin and vermouth but I came to find out that many times orange bitters are added. So I tried it. Wow. I loved the addition. With the addition of the bitters, I went with a lemon twist verses olives, which are also traditional.

Traditionally, I believe, the gin/vodka is more like 2 1/2 ounces but 3 for me, please.

Ingredients for a Classic Martini

• 3 ounces gin, or vodka
• 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
• 1 dash orange bitters
• Lemon twist for garnish

How to make a Classic Martini

1. Add gin, dry vermouth and orange bitters in a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake for 20-30 seconds until very chilled.
3. Strain into a frozen martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist.