Bar on hold: Caprice and the Martinez

One hidden gem, one relatively unknown classic and two bonus cocktails to boot.

Caprice

The Dry Martini is a great cocktail. Bénédictine is a great liqueur. So what will happen when we combine those two? Yes, of course: we get another great cocktail.

Just a few little adjustments can really make difference. Compare the Caprice with the Cabaret and see what bitters and some tweaking with the ratios can do.

3 parts gin

1 part dry vermouth

1 part Bénédictine

1 dash orange bitters

glass:  cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into the glass.

It’s beautiful in its simplicity. And with a lovely, lively name to go with it.

Vancouver

If you substitute sweet vermouth for dry vermouth and switch to the golden ratio the Caprice will turn into the Vancouver. A very aromatic cocktail that lives in the same neighbourhood as the Rolls Royce.

Somehow, most of the (diverse) recipes of the Vancouver I find will specify Punt e Mes as the vermouth of choice. Since Punt e Mes is even more bitter than regular sweet vermouth, you’ll probably be gasping for the Bénédictine. Switching to the ratio of the Caprice could mend this.

Martinez

I touched upon the Martinez when I introduced the Dry Martini. The Martini seems to have evolved from this cocktail, which in turn can be considered a ‘gin Manhattan’. So the Martinez bridges the gap between the king and queen of cocktails: the Martini and the Manhattan. Ironically, unlike the latter two, the Martinez has never made quite a name for itself. This is slowly changing, with mixology gaining a new following, but the general public (and bartender) will probably look blank when you bring up the Martinez.

The history and exact recipe of the Martinez are quite hazy. I recommend reading through this article of tempered spirits for some background and variations.

1 part gin (preferably Old Tom gin)

1 part sweet vermouth

1 dash maraschino

2 dashes orange bitters

glass:  cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into the glass.

Garnish with a lemon twist.

Originally, the bitters that were used in the Martinez were Boker’s bitters. Those bitters were unavailable for a long time, though. Orange bitters have been the standard substitute and work great as well. If you really want to try out the original, you should try to get a hold of the new version of Boker’s bitters that has found its way on the market.

Silver Cocktail

If you substitute dry vermouth for sweet vermouth, stick to dry gin and add another dash of maraschino, you will get the Silver Cocktail.

Yes, that’s three tweaks, so that almost warrants a separate recipe entry. But in my opinion it’s easier to remember recipes when you can link them to other, similar recipes.