The #1 Tip for Making the Best Martini, According to 3 Bartenders

I trend toward fancy hotel bars when I need to feel fabulous. I love that ordering a martini there immediately transforms me into a movie star without the cost of an actual hotel room. You can soak in the glamour of the classic cocktail just by holding the delicate stem of the V-shaped glass and taking a whiff of the plump olive on its pretty pick.

While gins—the main spirit used to make martinis—are a staple in my liquor cabinet, I never learned how to choose the best for a James Bond night at home, when what I need most is my pajamas. So I reached out to a few expert bartenders to help me move my martini habit from the lobby bar to my own living room. They all said that the first step in finding the right gin is deciding what kind of martini you want to drink—and because of that, the “right” gin varies widely.

The Bartenders I Spoke To

• Jonathan Payne: Bar Manager at Peychaud’s in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Connor Condrey: Bartender at Oliver’s Lounge in Seattle, Washington
• William Elliott: Bar Director at Tigre in New York, New York

How To Make the Best Martini at Home, According to Bartenders

Since it’s usually made with just gin and a bit of dry vermouth, a martini is about enjoying an excellent spirit. According to Payne, part of the allure of a martini is that it’s super personalized. “People drink it because it makes them feel elevated,” says Payne. It comes with questions, all of which guide the choice of gin: Do you want a twist of lemon? Do you want olives? Do you want it “dirty,” meaning with a little olive brine? 

While Payne likes to explore more botanical gins, like St. Laurent Gin of Quebec, for martinis with a twist, he says a dirty martini needs one that can stand up to the brine, like a London Dry gin, a style that has noticeable juniper and pine flavors. He likes using gins from the Southeast like Fords and Wonderbird Spirits, but for a more widely available choice, he picks Bombay Sapphire or Beefeater.

For a dirty martini, Condrey agrees with Payne. “I’d go with a London Dry gin like Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray, which play better with the olives,” echoes Condrey. “But for me, I use something that’s a tiny bit citrus forward, like Sipsmith, and garnish with a twist.” Every time a customer’s order changes—like adding more vermouth than their signature vermouth-soaked olives have—his approach changes, too.

At Tigre, a Lower East Side cocktail spot in New York City that’s known for its martinis, Elliott says he chooses a wide variety of gins based mostly on the customer. “For guests, especially those less familiar with stronger spirits, I often opt for more approachable, gateway gins,” says Elliott. A lighter gin like Thomas Dakin can help people learn to appreciate gin’s flavors without being hammered by its strength. His favorite, Cadenhead’s Old Raj Gin Blue Label, is more punchy and traditional. At home, he recommends Tanqueray for a dry martini, or Boodles London Dry for a dirty martini—and says both should be kept in the freezer.

The next time I need what Elliott calls the martini’s “stylish, public display of indulgence,” I’ll find out what gin my favorite bartender pours with each of the martini styles I love. I think I’ll still want the occasional movie star night, but for movie-and-martinis night at home, I’ll just need some freezer space. It’s clear that I’ll also need more than one gin.