How to Customize Your Martini

Go Big on Vermouth (12-17)

In a 20th-century martini, vermouth was an afterthought. (And often spoiled; it should be kept in the fridge, BTW.) But in the last decade or so, Americans have come around to the herbaceous charms of these fortified wines—in spritzes, on the rocks—and liquor store shelves are beginning to reflect the kaleidoscopic range the category has to offer. No matter how wet you like your martini, seeking out quality vermouth will take your favorite cocktail to places you never thought possible. Click here to learn more about the bottles we're most excited about right now.

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Work the Angles (19-21)

If the 2010s were all about the bodacious curves of the coupe and the chalice-​like Nick & Nora, the martini glass of the moment is—drumroll, please—a classic martini glass. Dramatic, angular, emoji-esque, it is the only vessel as iconic as the drink itself, as much prop as functional glassware. Just seeing them on your bar cart screams class act, and these three are our new go-tos.

Upgrade Your Gear (22-25)

Can you make do without proper equipment? As anyone who has attempted to bartend at an Airbnb can attest, sure, kinda. But mixing cocktails is as much ritual as it is technique, and the right tools lend the activity the appropriate level of gravitas. Cocktail Kingdom (cocktailkingdom.com) is the benchmark for mixologists around the world, and this kit is guaranteed to make you feel like a pro.

Leopold Jigger, $45

This nicely weighted brushed-metal jigger has a capacity of 1 oz. on top and 2 oz. on bottom, as well as clearly marked ¼-oz. gradations for precise measurements.

Yarai Large Mixing Glass, $39

This cut-crystal beauty is specifically designed to facilitate vigorous, silent stirring and big enough to fit two to three cocktails at once—ideal for at-home bartending.

Hoffman Barspoon, $27

A long barspoon is essential for rapid ice movement, and the corkscrew handle makes quick rotation effortless. Also retrieves olives from narrow jars with ease.

Premium Julep Strainer, $17

Modeled after a vintage strainer from the 1930s, this one is as minimal as it is functional
and much easier to clean than the spring-loaded Hawthorne-style versions.

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Photograph by Gabriel Cabrera, Food Styling by Bri Beaudoin, Prop Styling by Sophia Mackenzie.

Garnish for the Gold (27-35)

A garnish is so much more than a hood ornament. In a cocktail as simple and subtle as a martini, a waft of citrus oil or the briny presence of an olive can change the drink’s whole character and, in turn, your whole night. (Or, as the case of a pickled onion, change its name entirely.) Choose wisely, or don’t choose at all—who said you can’t have an olive and a twist?

Olives

Even without adding brine, a single olive (or three, never two) lend the martini a savory depth that few cocktails can match.