The Martinez cocktail may lurk in the shadows as the predecessor to the Martini, but it’s distinct enough to warrant its own spotlight in the classic cocktail canon. You might describe it as a cross between a Manhattan and a classic Martini, and using a heavy-bodied Old Tom Gin or the malty Dutch spirit Genever might inspire a change of heart from drinkers who have sworn off gin cocktails altogether. Even when made with a London Dry Gin, the Martinez expresses a deft balancing act of making heavier ingredients work in harmony rather than against one another to produce something that can rival the elegance of a classic Martini.
