We gave the Old Fashioned a well-deserved moment in the last article, but now we will turn our eyes toward progress and the family of Modern Cocktails. I define Modern Cocktails as mixed drinks that follow the “cocktail” format (spirit, sugar, bitters, water, aromatic garnish) but are served chilled and up — usually in a stemmed glass. The lack of ice is what makes them “modern,'' as these drinks were developed once advances in technology made frozen water an everyday item.
Modern Cocktails follow the same general format as Old Fashioned cocktails but have evolved into slightly larger servings in the last couple of decades. The Old Fashioned generally calls for 2 to 2½ ounces of spirit, while the modern cocktail calls for up to 3 ounces. Unlike the Old Fashioned, modern cocktails use only spirits; the sweet element usually coming from a liqueur. We call this a “spirit forward” cocktail or “spirit on spirit,” meaning no juices or syrups. As always, there are a few ways we break the rules, but as a general rule, we can trust these drinks will follow this format.
Before We Get Started
Get to Know Techniques and Tools: Modern Cocktails are generally stirred. If you don’t have a proper mixing glass at home, a pint glass or a deli container works just as fine. A chopstick can be used to stir if you don’t have a cocktail spoon. As you continue to develop your at-home mixology skills, you may want to consider both for your home bar.
An Important Note on Vermouth: Vermouth is essential to making many modern cocktails but is often misunderstood and used incorrectly. Vermouth is a fortified wine aromatized with herbs and spices, predominantly Artemisia, commonly known as Wormwood. There are two main types of vermouth — Sweet and Dry — both of which you will see in the cocktail recipes below.
There are many other types of vermouth, including bianco, rose, amber, vangila, vermouth con bitter, chinato, Spanish rojo or vermouth de Jerez, and new-age "Western" styles from America. Have fun exploring different vermouths, as they all bring something different and interesting to your cocktails.
Most importantly, vermouth is an aromatized wine and has a shelf life of about 3 weeks once the bottle has been opened. To preserve the freshness of your vermouth, always keep the cap on and store it in the fridge when not in use.
A Note on the Cocktails Below: All three of these are classic Modern cocktails, and each come with a variation that I also love. As you try making these at home, I recommend you perform a side-by-side taste test to notice the differences and identify a favorite.
The Martini
The Martini is the most famous Modern Cocktail. Most people might not know this, but the Martini was originally made with orange bitters, which makes it a true cocktail when made as it was intended. There’s a lot of debate about where the Martini comes from, but we do know that it’s a drink that has changed dramatically over the years to fit the desires of whoever was ordering it. It’s a drink that has endured. It’s a drink that has so many interpretations that one must make some specifications when ordering.
Fun fact! The myth of the shaken martini is thanks to the sponsoring vodka brand of the James Bond film franchise. They were afraid Americans wouldn’t like the flavor of vodka (still new in the US at the time) unless it was super cold and aerated, so they requested that 007 order his martini shaken. The joke was on them, as spirit-on-spirit cocktails taste colder and silkier when stirred, not shaken. James Bond liked all sorts of Modern Cocktails, including the Martini, the Vesper, and the Negroni.
Classic Martini
2 oz. Vodka or Gin
1 oz. Dry Vermouth
2 dashes Orange bitters
Olive or lemon twist (garnish)
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir until chilled. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with a twist or olive.
Martini preferences are deeply personal. I always start guests with a 2:1 ratio, but you can play with it. Don’t like that much vermouth? Dial it back. Like more vermouth? Add more and pull back on the other spirit. From there, you have more options to consider: Up or on the rocks? Shaken or stirred? Dirty? Olive or Twist? Aim to keep your total recipe at 3 ounces, so it fits in the glass, but have fun finding your own “house style.”
50/50 Martini
1½ oz. Gin
1½ oz. Dry Vermouth
2 dashes Orange bitters
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir until chilled. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with a twist or olive.
This is my favorite martini variation and the one I most often order. I like that this drink is lighter and more of an aperitif than its 2:1 counterpart and really lets the vermouth shine.
The Manhattan
The Manhattan is the prototypical brown-stirred-served-up cocktail that has begat a million creative variations. It was originally created in Manhattan in the late 1800s and has been claimed by too many people for historians to have a single credible source. We do know that it was a hit then and is still beloved today.
Manhattan
2 oz. Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Sweet Rosso Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir until chilled. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with an orange twist and brandied cherry.
I finally learned the recipe for the Manhattan on a busy night behind a bar in LA. The recipe had never stuck in my brain until I asked my coworker for it, and he said, “2-1-2 is the area code for New York City. 2 ounces Rye, 1 ounce Sweet Vermouth, 2 dashes bitters.” I’ll never forget it. Hopefully, you won’t either now.
Palmetto
1½ oz. Aged Rum
1½ oz. Sweet Rosso Vermouth
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir until chilled. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with an orange twist and brandied cherry.
I love using aged rum in stirred cocktails, and this Manhattan variation is a great example of why. The richness of the rum, paired with the spice of the sweet vermouth, yields a delicious and unexpected cocktail.
The Negroni
The Negroni was invented in 1919 by Fosco Scarcelli for his guest Count Camillo Negroni at the Cafe Casoni in Florence. The drink almost immediately became a favorite of bartenders around the world. 100 years later, it’s still growing in popularity.
Negroni
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Gin
1 oz. Sweet Rosso Vermouth
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir until chilled. Pour into a coupe glass or over ice in a rocks glass —there’s always an exception to the rule. Garnish with an orange twist or orange half moon.
The recipe template of 1 part Campari, 1 part vermouth, and one part spirit is easily adaptable. Once you master the Negroni, you can play around with swapping the gin for other spirits like whiskey or mezcal.
Boulevardier
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Sweet Rosso Vermouth
1 oz. Bourbon
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir until chilled. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with an orange twist.
Invented during Prohibition, this bourbon twist on the Negroni was created by Harry McElhone for American writer Erskine Gwynne at Harry’s American Bar in Paris. This Negroni variation has been a perennial darling of bartenders and is quickly becoming a favorite among bar-goers as well. Add a dash of Chocolate Bitters to this recipe, and you’ve made a Left Hand, originally created by Sam Ross.
