Which Came First: The Vodka or Gin Martini?

Cocktails are a tasty favorite of many cocktails enthusiasts with an exotic, distinctive taste, and burst of exciting flavors. Now and then, a new cocktail recipe is just waiting to bless the more contemporary bar, and the mainstream with modern taste and its unique taste.

As a result, cocktails of different recipes and flavors come and go, but some classic cocktails withstand the test of time. When we speak of classic cocktails, several options come to mind. However, regardless of time and age, two have managed to stand throughout history as a favorite of many. We have the martini gin cocktail and the vodka cocktail, gracing us with exotic flavors for over a century.

In every two, there must be a last man standing, and today, we want to know which of these drinks has stood the test of time the most. Which came first, the martini gin or the vodka? Let’s find out!

Which Came First: The Martini Gin or Vodka? 

Both options make wonderful drinks, and both options have experienced some modifications over time. However, the vodka martini cocktails wins when it comes to the question of the one that has stuck around with our modern taste buds more for longer.

While the Martini has been around for quite a while, vodka dates as far back to the 9th century. Nonetheless, both drinks have been around for quite a while and have inspired many cocktails and exotic drinks today.

When was Vodka Invented

We can all enjoy vodka in many different flavors and combinations as we have it today thanks to the discovery of an odorless burning water as it was so regarded in the middle ages. However, we are sitting on the fence regarding the exact place and person that invented the vodka drink.

Not just any flat-walled type of fence but a three-dimensional one, to be exact. The invention of vodka sits between Russia, Poland, and Egypt. The origination of vodka dates back to the 5th or 9th century. However, most accounts lead the discovery of vodka more to Russia than Poland.

It is believed that a man named Isidore from Chudov monastery in Moscow Kremlin invented vodka for the first time. How, then, does Egypt come into the picture? Based on many historical accounts, it is believed that the monk used an Egyptian distillation process to produce what is known as “spirit water.”

As a result, many believe that vodka has existed since the Egyptian distillation time but only became renowned after Isidore used it to create a liquor of much higher quality. Since then, vodka has gone through many processes, modifications, and combinations to give us the varieties we enjoy today. One of which is the prevalently loved vodka martini.

When was Martini Gin Invented?

Martini was invented many centuries after the vodka. While we can trace vodka from the 9th century, Martini became known in the 19th century. It is believed that the original martini itself, either vodka or gin, was accidentally created in the late 1850s.

A bartender from Occidental Hotel in San Francisco known as Professor Jerry Thomas is believed to be the progenitor of this drink. Alternatively, another theory places the original Martini to have emerged from Europe. It is believed that a German musician called John Paul Aegius Schwartgendorf had emigrated to France sometime around the late 1750s and changed his last name to Martini.

His favorite drink happened to be a mix of Gin and white wine. His entourage of Italian composers, alongside other French musicians, accustomed this drink to him and began to call it by his newly found last name, “martini,”; and when these musicians migrated to the United States, they brought the renowned drink along with them then, blew up and became even more popular with wide different varieties started popping up thanks to the special touch of different cultures.

What’s the Difference Between Gin and Vodka Martini? 

If you are a bartender, you will know that both drinks have a lot more similarities to one another asides from the fact that they are liquor drinks. However, they are still quite vastly different, and for our non-bartenders reading this, we will highlight a few of the differences. Let’s start with their similarities.

Distillation

Both drinks undergo a distillation process. While this process is mostly similar, certain cultures or brands are known to modify the procedure to achieve a more distinct flavor, taste, or concentration desired spirit.

Cocktails

The classic Martini, and Vodka are the base ingredients for various wonderful cocktails and even more to come. Cocktails are delicious mixed drinks that have graced our bars and events for a while, and top favorites at any classic bar or cocktail bar can be traced back to a classic Martini, or a Vodka base.

Now, the differences

Martini tends to have a more complex taste spawning from various botanical flavors hardpressed and distilled into a glass. However, the Vodka has a simpler, smooth flavor, making it a top choice for bartenders.

And to cap it all up, it is vital to note that you can use vodka to make either vodka or gin martini but you cannot a martini to make a vodka. What this means is that while a vodka can be an added ingredient in making martini cocktails, we cannot use martini to make vodka. Thus can be vodka’s way of proving it’s superiority once again. So while all vodka martinis are martinis, not all martinis are vodka.

The Traditional Martini: Which Is Better, Gin Vs. Vodka?

To put it plainly, there is no such thing as the perfect drink. There is only the perfect drink for you. While throughout history, we have seen a particular drink beloved by many and becoming a well-known favorite, it does not equal that it will also be your favorite. It is to say that it is difficult to put a cap on which is better between Vodka and Martini.

If you have a knack for stronger flavors with more complex highlights, you might incline toward a Martini flavored gin to give you that perfect chilled martini taste with a burst of complex flavors. Although, in recent times, we have come to see bartenders create more smooth and sleek tasting martini drinks. On the other hand, if you like more subtle, smooth flavors and love combining your drinks with other options, then gin or a flavored vodka or cold martini, is a great pick.

When Did the Dry Martini First Come About? 

The most famous written record of the dry vermouth or sweet and dry vermouth Martini dates back to 1904 in Applegreen’s Bar Book. In it is a recipe aptly named “Martini Cocktail, Dry vermouth.” However, the first ever sweet and dry vermouth Martini can be traced back to 1896, which also features the key ingredients used to make the standard wet Martini in those days. It features a rich mix of Plymouth gin and dry vermouth or French and dry vermouth together. Here are some of the essential ingredients used to make the traditional drink together:

What is the Best Gin for Mixing Martinis?

two martini glasses with olives in them on a red table

There is one renowned way of making perfect dry martini made: Gin Martinis/ However, this same dry martini cocktail method is favorably customized depending on the personal taste, and experience of the bartender or mixer. The base used to mix your dry martini cocktail will largely determine what kind tom style gin or dry gin is made and how its profile will taste. Here is a list of different dry martini cocktails based on what type of Gin is used to make them.

Plymouth Gin Martini

Have you ever heard of a cold martini as a drink that can take you back in time? The Plymouth Gin Martini is definitely on top of that list.

This classic cocktail drink dates back as far as the 1900s and has stood the test of time as a popular favorite for over a century. Its early flavor, gotten from a rich blend of root flavors, makes it a perfect liquor base for a good mix.

The first ever distillery to produce this liquor was the Black Friars in 1793, and this distillery is still fully functional today, creating and producing some of the best gin of our modern-day time.

Tanqueray Gin Martini

When it comes to the top gins of vermouth made in the world, the Tanqueray vermouth has held its own since 1830 till date with many sales and awards to prove how much of a good drink their distillery produces with gin the distillery produces with gin as the essential base. The rich flavor of vermouth in this traditional drink is gotten from both gin rich blackcurrants blend and vermouth with subtle notes of citrus peel and vailla,

Hendricks Gin Martini

Hendricks Gin Martini is a top favorite for many and still is to date. While it is not as old as many other Gin Martinis we know, this drink, produced in 1999 by Girvan Distillery, does stand on par with other martinis and many other favorite drinks and has won many hearts and taste buds over time. The drink is a surprisingly refreshing liquor that is, in turn, used to create some of the best cocktails and martinis we know today.

This classic cocktail drink’s key ingredient includes Gin and tonic water with some olive garnish and mint or lemon twist to add that extra splash of flavor. You can make this cocktail drink by filling your Martini mixing glass or cocktail can with some ice, and adding your Gin of choice. Your tonic water goes in a serving glass or wet martini glass, followed by lemon twist and closely by a seasonal garnish of lime or an olive brine.

Sipsmith Gin Martini

Sipsmith gin is relatively new to the liquor scene, but the quality of thus gin is outstanding. Established in 2009, Sipsmith quickly established its value in the market by providing a rich, smooth dry gin, that works well as the basis of numerous dry gin and cocktails.

While the citrus lemon and vanlla is the main note you’ll get when you taste this Gin, you’ll also get pretty strong, some subtle hints of juniper berries and orange bitters aroma all carefully mixed to create the perfect tasting gin for your Martini.

Should I Serve My Martini Stirred?

Another classic question when it comes to martinis is whether to stir alcoholic drinks and if it will affect the taste of the drink. Generally, all spirits with a traditional martini drink are usually shaken or are served stirred. The technique of shaking drinks such as this one is typically used when a the drink includes fruit and eggs, olive juice, dairy, or a variety of thick syrup or liquid liqueurs. This helps establish a uniform blend before it hits your tongue.

WHAT ARE THE BEST MARTINI RECIPES? 

Modern Martini

The modern martini style is one that has undergone a few changes from the initial traditional martini recipe. It requires just one mixing glass and four essential ingredients. To make reverse classic martini with a hint of vermouth in a chilled martini glass, and you will achieve a drink with a lemon twist on a more classic martini cocktail flavor. You’ll first need to stir lemon wedge, three ounces of Gin, and an ounce of sweet vermouth, preferably Dolin Blanc Vermouth De Chambrey, in a mixing glass mostly filled with ice.

Then, you’ll need to strain the cocktail into a chilled glass. Finally, you’ll need to garnish the drink shaken with three green olives pierced by a cocktail pick.

1950s-Inspired Martini

The vodka martini was first pushed for in the 1950s by Smirnoff. The aggressive marketing campaign focused on the vodka martini’s more odorless, colorless nature of gin. It claimed that nobody liked the distinctive taste of Gin, and it was fairly successful in the drink business. While Smirnoff made a massive push to change the public taste in favor of vodka martinis in the 1950s, it did not do much to change the taste buds of people in favor of the innovation.

However, it still tasted good. This particular recipe featured a classic vermouth mix of yellow Gin vermouth and dry sweet Vermouth (Noilly Prat vermouth, to be precise). While the primary vermouth combination was 2.5 ounces of vermouth to half an ounce dry sweet vermouth used, the vermouth ratio in the identical drink has experienced minor changes and adjustments based on people’s preferences. This drink is enjoyed alongside a batch of unbroken ice cubes and stirred in a glass for roughly 30 seconds. It is served stirred and then garnished with a few lemon twists and sometimes olives to give it that tangy touch.

Black Fig Martini

To make this distinct cocktail, you must shake 1.5 ounces of vodka and 1.5 ounces of black fig vodka with ice and strain it into a martini glass. This traditional gin martini cocktail recipe, often like most martini recipes, does not call for a chilled glass.

Once you’re done straining your beverage into your favorite chilled cocktail glass or perfect martini full serving glass all you need is to garnish your own chilled cocktail glass with a lemon wedge or two blue cheese olives, and you are good to go!

The Martini is a highly classic cocktail that has been around for almost 150 years. It started as a gin cocktail, but by the 1950s, it, later on, evolved into a vodka cocktail. Whether you think a martini should be made of Gin or vodka, could you make us your one-stop shop? 

person holding clear drinking glass with white liquid

Plan a trip to Town’s End Distillery & Stillhouse, and we’ll help you pick out the best liquor for your favorite classic cocktail recipe to suit your personal taste or wherever your imagination desired spirit and palate want an identical drink to go. As long as your taste buds love it, we can make it!

WHAT IS THE BEST GIN FOR COCKTAILS?

WHAT IS THE BEST GIN FOR COCKTAILS?

On the subject of classic gin cocktails, what is the best gin for cocktails is a commonly asked question. Like the best liquor for martinis, the best gin to make cocktails depends on your personal preference.

However, we can give you some food for thought to consider. You may want to pick up small bottles from the following to experiment with making martinis: 

Plymouth Gin Martini

If you want to sip on a truly classic cocktail that will transport you back to the early 1900s, you need to make a Crisp Cocktail with Plymouth gin. This famous gin has been beloved for hundreds of years.

Black Friars Distillery was the first to distill this liquor in 1793, and it is still in operation today. What makes this gin great for martinis is the earthy flavor it gets from the high concentration of root ingredients.

Tanqueray Gin Martini

Tanqueray’s history is less rich than Plymouth’s, but Tanqueray is still a solid choice out of many cocktails if you want to make a martini. It was first distilled by Charles Tanqueray in 1830. Today, it is one of the best gins in the world if you take a lot of stock in awards.it is mostly made with blackcurrants and subtle notes of vanilla,

If you don’t, that’s okay. We strongly recommend that you buy a bottle and form your opinion of the gin.

Hendricks Gin Martini

Hendricks is one of the best-known brands of gin, and for good reason. Produced since 1999 at Scotland’s Girvan distillery, this premium liquor contains 13 botanicals, including beautifully blended cucumber and rose.

In addition to making a great martini drink, this surprisingly refreshing liquor is really great for making other classic cocktails, like a Gin and Tonic.

many gin drinkers have been known to say no other gin tastes like the Hendrick gin When trying to find the best gin to make a martini with, you may want to experiment with the Gin and Tonic. This two-ingredient cocktail calls for gin and tonic water, letting the flavor of the gin come through. Making a Gin and Tonic is simple.

The first step is to use ice to fill a highball glass. Once the glass is full of ice, add two ounces of your gin of choice. Then, add four ounces of tonic water and stir gently. Finish with a seasonal garnish or lime wheel.

Sipsmith Gin Martini

Sipsmith is relatively new to the liquor scene, but the quality is outstanding. Established in 2009, Sipsmith quickly established its value in the market by providing a rich, smooth gin that works very well as the basis of numerous gin cocktails.

While juniper is the main note you’ll get when you taste this gin, you’ll also get pretty strong lemon and orange aromas.

WHAT ARE THE BEST MARTINI RECIPES? 

Modern Martini

The modern martini requires just four essential ingredients. To make this new take on a classic cocktail, you’ll first need to stir three ounces of gin and an ounce of sweet vermouth, Dolin Blanc Vermouth De Chambrey in a mixing glass mostly filled with ice.

Then, you’ll need to strain the cocktail into a chilled glass. Finally, you’ll need to garnish with three olives pierced by a cocktail pick.

1950s-Inspired Martini

While Smirnoff made a massive push to change the public taste in favor of vodka martinis in the 1950s, some of the cocktails at this time were still made with gin. This 1950s-inspired recipe calls for 2.5 ounces of yellow gin and half of an ounce of Noilly Prat Vermouth.

To make this cocktail, you’ll need a large bar glass filled mostly with large, unbroken ice cubes. Stir your gin or vodka, and sweet vermouth into the glass for roughly 30 seconds, pour into a very chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a few lemon twists.

Black Fig Martini

A black fig martini is a bit different than what most people consider to be a martini. When most people think of a martini, they mostly think of gin or vodka, vermouth, and an olive garnish.

The black fig martini is very different in that it only calls for two types of vodka martini and a garnish.

To make this cocktail, you’ll need to shake 1.5 ounces of vodka and 1.5 ounces of black fig vodka with ice, and strain it into a martini glass. This recipe, often just like most martini recipes, does not exactly call for a chilled glass. Once you’re done with the process of straining your beverage into your favorite martini glass, all you just need is to garnish with a lemon wedge or two blue cheese olives.

The martini is a highly classic cocktail that has been around for almost 150 years. It started off as a gin cocktail, but by the 1950s, it, later on, evolved into a vodka cocktail. Regardless of whether you think a martini should be made of gin or vodka, make us your number one-stop shop. 

Plan a trip to Town’s End Distillery & Stillhouse, and we’ll definitely help you pick out the best liquor for your favorite classic cocktail recipe to suit your taste or wherever your imagination and palate want to take you.

Traditionalist or modernist approach

Those traditionalists might most times be incredibly annoyed with using vodka to make their martinis drink It is a slight mistake but the underlying cause of the drink is an Old Tom-style gin. Obviously, as with other cocktails, the cocktail evolved through time.

In fact, traditional martini using gin is not the traditional martini. Tell me the difference between a mug and a gin.

The nature of the drink provides varied perspectives and experimentation testing out your desired spirit.

Traditional tastes are less important in comparison to evolution. Whether you prefer a more formal palate, you can use Gin!

How to make a perfect stirred Vesper

The cocktail mixer doesn’t need an expensive mixing glass and is an interesting device for making a lot of stirred drinks. You may also mix it into the classic Boston shaker glass or any tall glass.

It’s just a cocktail strainer like a Hawthorne or Julep that can help remove the fluid. You must first measure your whiskey or Cocchi. You can fill a glass about 3/4 full of ice. Use an extended spoon for mixing the drinks.

Shaken or stirred?

Another classic question among martinis is whether to stir alcoholic drinks. Generally, all spirits are served stirred. The technique to shake beverages is typically used when a beverage includes fruit and eggs, dairy, or a variety of thick syrup or liquid liqueurs.

This a typical illustration from James Bond. James Bond changed the whole thing when he demanded the shaker of a martini. How can James Bond demand that his martinis be shaken rather than stirred? Shaking martinis with ice will keep the water cold and faster.

To shake or to stir?

If you mix several classic cocktail recipes, you may have noticed that the cocktails made from only spirits, liqueurs, or syrup cannot be mixed. Drinks containing juice or a mixture of creams or eggs should have a shaker.

Why stirs and shakes are preferable in martinis due to the fact that shaking can help create diluted drinks. The cocktail also adds ice chips, aeration, and some ice chips, which is not ideal.

Alighting and frothing are good for cocktails with drinks like the Daiquiri but not for cocktails with the whole spirit. Stirring gives the mouth a smooth and pleasant feel.