to think that no one could really like martinis?

[Bogeyface]

Having a chat with my sister earlier about her works do that I am invited to. It is James Bond themed and she said we should drink martinis when we are getting ready.

She has never had one and when I told that it was basically gin with a teeny bit of vermouth in it, she was appalled. They are gopping! Vodka martinis are barely any better.

Does anyone actually like them?

Thanks bunny will check them out.

This has got me sniffing the drinks cupboard, and I am now drinking grapefruit Finlandia vodka and tonic. Its reaaaally nice :)

Not arsed about other flavoured vodkas, but the grapefruit one is delish and tastes more grapefruity with the addition of tonic. Lovely on a hot summers day, or a bored winters evening!

Marmalade vodka is surprisingly good! I found this out one night when pissed and we walked to a 24hr shop. I thought it was normal vodka just in a orange bottle.

Black Forest martinis are incredible.

Happy memories of the Christmas my dad and I decided our seasonal drink would be the classic martini.

Flat on my back after the third

Excellent martini scene in the film Teacher's Pet - Clark Gable rubs the vermouth cork around the rim of the glass. Very dry.

You see, I dont get it!

A dry martini is one where there is just the suggestion of vermouth, but gin is so strong that surely, you cant tell the difference if it is there or not? So a dry martini is actually just a glass of gin, why not call it that?!

It's SO much more than a glass of gin bogey!!

It's the temperature of the glass, the temperature of the drink, the quality of the london dry gin (no Gordons or Bombay ta), the faint hint of herbal vermouth, the salty savoury tang from the olives, the ever so faint film on the top from the brine, the elegant ice-cold glass......

T'is heaven. Nuff said

I love them :) Can't beat a proper gin martini!

I have been thinking about this, admittedly whilst sipping V&T, and have come to the conclusion that martinis were invented to excuse alcohol abuse.

My theory is that they were invented to legitimise gin drinking. Being a gin drinker was not a good thing to be, especially in the 1800's, it was their equivalent of White Lightening or crack cocaine possibly. So someone invented the martini to allow the monied classes to get pissed as farts, but still be better than the child neglecting wife beating sex selling gin addicted underclasses.

This theory is based on absolutely no research or knowledge.

Thank you and good night!

Bombay Sapphire, a glimpse of the Vermouth bottle and a nice fat olive...

Lovely!

So not Plymouth gin then?

And whats the difference anyway?

Plymouth makes an ace martini. As does Tanqueray and Beefeater. There's a gin called Raj which is insanely good in a martini.

Personally I hate botanical gin martinis. Not dry enough. So no to Bombay, Hendricks..any gin of that ilk.

ifancyashandy. . .
Brilliant answer x

So, are these James Bond Martinis - and all those mentioned on the last 3 pages, different in some way from a bottle of 'Sweet Martini' or 'Dry Martini' ?

I really don't like gin, but I like both of those.

I second Plymouth Gin for a cracking martini. I really must stock up for Christmas .

I just watched Made In chelsea and they visited a bar caled 'Dirty Martini's' which i thought was a good name for a bar

Nectar of the Gods.

I'm a vodka martini lover - preferably Beluga vodka and Dolin vermouth when I can get them. If not, Stolly and Noilly Pratt.

Stirred, with an olive, a little dirty, and a bowl of olives to munch through while drinking them. ALWAYS in the cocktail glass no-one else is allowed to touch .

I rarely drink so it's a special ritual.

BunnyLebowski - As Noel Coward said "Just pour a glass of gin and wave it in the general direction of Italy

What a wonderful quote

DH and I stayed in hotel in London with the best cocktail bar in the world ( gavel )
The waiter brought a trolley to our table with a bottle of frozen gin on it , two frozen glasses and an old fashioned silver topped vinegar bottle containing ver-mooth and a lemon . Filled the glasses with gin, shook in 3 drops of vermouth , twist of lemon . Oh my word they we lush and we had to go for a little lie down in our room afterwards !
I was brought up on martini and lemonade , it was a bit of a shock to the system !

MIL once asked for a Dubonet and bitter lemon (1980's ) and got a neat Dubonet wiv a slice of lemon! That will learn her to talk posh

My mother once fell foul of the bitter/bit o' lemon. She got a very funny look from the barmaid who said "what, on its own?" and then gave her a saucer with a slice of lemon on it.

It must be her accent as when she was a child she was asking for an ice lolly in the shop on holiday and the lady gave her an oxo cube! Nope, I cant work that one out either :o

I have never had a martini, although I have made them when the bartender where I used to work was very busy and asked for my help. Original ones, gin and vermouth, not a cocktail in a martini glass.

god they're great - a proper drink, I've never seen the point of alcopop type things, if you want juice, drink juice. I like to know I am having a drink

I love vodka martinis, two olives and icy cold.

Little update!

Was taken to a vairy fancy winebar on Friday with a colleague and decided to have another bash at a Martini (was on his expenses!). It was......not as bad as I remember but the gin was room temperature, which I think made a big difference. I am sure that had it been frozen it would have been (I hate to say this) quite nice! The glass was chilled with iced water, but I am sure that made properly with a frozen glass and gin then it would have been totally different.

Oh, and I remembered that I hate olive, just after I ate it....vom. Will have it with a twist next time!

oh my god I fucking LOVE DIRTY MARTINIS!

I have with Kettles vodka and three big fat juicy olives, normally served up by a hot bartender in a notorious gay bar in West Hollywood

Funnily eough, despite also lovng gin, I'm not keen on a gin martini....