I like a plain gin-based martini, usually with a little added olive brine, and stirred–not shaken. I really wanted to like the vodka “shaken, not stirred” martini so I could do a (bad) James Bond impression when ordering it. Although bartenders may get that all the time and not really find it funny.

Timings

Prep: 2 minutes
Mixing: 1 minute
Total: 3 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2oz Bombay Sapphire
• 1/2oz dry vermouth
• 1/4oz olive brine (optional)

Steps

1. Optionally put a martini glass in the freezer to cool while you prepare the drink.
2. Add ice to a cocktail shaker.
3. Add all the ingredients to the cocktail shaker and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Strain the liquid into a martini glass.
5. Optionally garnish with 3 pitted olives on a skewer. From what I have read, it is considered unlucky to use an even number of items, so bartenders will use one or three olives and not two. I just like olives, and three fits will on the skewers I have.