So, yeah... I'm not much of a gin drinker. I do like the occasional gin and tonic on a hot summer day, but for the most part, I like my liquor to be of the brown variety. That being said, whilst vacationing in Sisters, Oregon, we stopped by the tasting room of the Cascade Street Distillery. Their gin knocked my socks off! It was so aromatic and tasty! So, we picked up a bottle and on the way home we picked up a bottle of dry vermouth and it was martini time.
Directions
In a mixing glass add your gin and vermouth. Fill the glass ⅔ full with ice and stir. Some people, I'm looking a you Bond, prefer the drink shaken, but that really just waters it down. Don't grip the glass too tightly, as you will warm the glass with your hand and counteract the effect for which we are aiming. Once the drink is good and chilled, squeeze a nice size twist of lemon into a chilled cocktail glass and strain the mixture into the glass. Sip and enjoy.
When I was bartending, people would tell me all the time "Just wave the bottle of vermouth over the glass." Don't fool yourself, you aren't drinking a martini, you are sipping chilled gin, or worse, vodka. I prefer a 5:1 proportion, but you can go with what you like. Like any good cocktail, the proportions are matter of taste. Experiment and find out what works for you.
