Overview: Justin Lavenue recommends Dolin Dry vermouth for a classic martini, noting that other gin and vodka styles may call for different styles. The expert emphasizes that even a small amount can dramatically change a drink’s aroma, sweetness, and overall balance. Lavenue identifies Dolin as French, classic, and balanced in exactly the way he wants a martini vermouth to be.
The Full Story
Justin Lavenue, co-owner of The Roosevelt Room in Austin, Texas, advises using Dolin Dry for a classic martini. He notes that while other gin and vodka styles may call for different styles, his go-to is Dolin Dry because it is French, classic, and balanced. A master mixologist and owner of The Eleanor and RoadHaus Mobile Cocktails, Lavenue explains the importance of vermouth in a drink’s aroma, sweetness, and overall balance.
Tasting Table placed Dolin second in their ranking of the best vermouth brands thanks to its storied French history and centuries of Alpine fortified wine-making tradition. Lavenue adds that it has enough body and subtle sweetness to keep the drink from tasting thin, but still retains a dry, herbaceous, lightly floral character that lets the base spirit shine. Dry vermouth works particularly well at mellowing gin’s juniper and botanical characteristics without trying to be the loudest person in the room.
Production & Profile
The profile of Dolin Dry is defined by its French origin and classic style. It is described as an Alpine fortified wine with herbs and a little extra alcohol. Lavenue notes it has enough body and subtle sweetness to keep the drink from tasting thin, but still has that dry, herbaceous, lightly floral character that lets the base spirit shine.
Brand & Industry History
While the original martini actually used sweet vermouth, the modern martini typically calls for dry vermouth, with the specific vermouth depending on the gin or vodka being used. James Bond himself also preferred his martinis made with dry vermouth, though that wasn’t always the case historically.
What This Means
Martinis are always up for customization, so you can opt for extremely spirit-forward 3:1 ratio, or go lighter with a 1:1 combination. Lavenue likes to mix it up, literally, depending on what he’s working with. Unlike Bond, Lavenue doesn’t shake. He recommends it stirred on large ice in a frozen mixing glass, then strained into a frozen martini or Nick and Nora glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.
Consumer Takeaway
The real advice is to know your vermouths, as they’re often sold in 375 ml bottles and are inexpensive. They should be kept refrigerated between uses and matched to the base spirit to make your martini become greater than the sum of its parts.
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