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Martini cocktails are among the most iconic and elegant drinks you can enjoy. A favorite drink of a certain James Bond, it's thanks to their subtle, refined flavors that these recipes have become go-to choices for all cocktail lovers. In this article, we explore 5 classic martini cocktail recipes for a great night out. Dry Martini: the timeless martini cocktail Also known simply as a martini, this cocktail was invented in the early 20th century by an English bartender named Frank P. Newman. Embodying elegance and simplicity, a Dry Martini is extremely easy to make. Here's what you need to know. Ingredients 60 ml (2 oz) of Gin 15 ml (1/2 oz) of Dry Vermouth One green olive Cocktail accessories Shaker Martini glass How to make a Dry Martini Start by chilling a mixing glass with ice cubes. Pour the gin and dry vermouth into the mixing glass and stir gently for about 30 seconds. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an olive or lemon peel. It's ready! Dirty Martini: an elegant cocktail The Dirty Martini, with its distinctive salty touch, is much more than just a variation on the classic Martini. Its exact origin is shrouded in mystery, but it is widely accepted that this cocktail evolved from the traditional dry martini recipe. Thanks to its subtle blend of traditional flavors and modern accents, it has become a popular choice among cocktail lovers looking for a bold taste experience. Ingredients 60 ml (2 oz) de gin 15 ml (1/2 oz) of Dry Vermouth 7,5 ml (0.2 oz) of olive juice Cocktail accessories Cocktail shaker Cocktail strainer Martini glass How to make a Dirty Martini Chill your cocktail shaker, then add the gin, dry vermouth and olive juice. Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds. Strain the mixture through a cocktail strainer into a martini glass. Garnish with a stuffed olive or lemon peel. Vodka Martini: pure and simple At the heart of the Vodka Martini is the desire to create a smoother, gentler tasting experience. Unlike other variations, where gin is the protagonist, the Vodka Martini highlights the subtlety of this distilled spirit. Ingredients 60 ml (2 oz) Vodka 15 ml (1/2 oz) Dry Vermouth Cocktail accessories Cocktail shaker How to make a Vodka Martini Chill a mixing glass with ice cubes. Add the vodka and dry vermouth to the same glass and stir gently for about half a minute. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a slice of lemon or olive. Enjoy! Apple Martini: a touch of freshness The history of the Apple Martini is rooted in ever-changing consumer preferences and culinary trends. At the time this cocktail was created, cocktails based on fruit and fresh ingredients were wildly popular. The apple, with a flavor profile balanced between sweetness and light acidity, quickly became a prime candidate for a new variation on the classic Martini. Ingredients 60 ml (2 oz) of Green Apple Vodka 15 ml (1/2 oz) of Green Apple Schnapps 15 ml (1/2 oz) of Dry Vermouth If you don't have apple vodka, you can use a classic vodka and add 1 oz of apple juice. Cocktail accessories Cocktail shaker How to make an Apple Martini Chill a mixing glass with ice cubes and pour the green apple vodka, schnapps and dry vermouth into the mixing glass. Strain the mixture into a martini glass and garnish with a thin slice of green apple. If you want, you can also replace the schnapps with 1/4 cup of still cider for a touch of fizz. Espresso Martini: an energizing cocktail Ingredients 45 ml (1 1/2 oz) Vodka 30 ml (1 oz) chilled Espresso 15 ml (1/2 oz) coffee liqueur Cocktail accessories Mixing glass Coffee machine Cocktail shaker How to make an Espresso Martini Chill a cocktail shaker and mixing glass. Pour the vodka, cooled espresso and coffee liqueur into the shaker and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds. Strain the mixture into a martini glass and garnish with floating coffee beans or a pinch of cocoa powder. Ready to make your best martini cocktails? There you have it: a selection of the 5 best martini cocktail recipes by Vinum Design. Now you know how simple Martini Cocktails are to make, with only a few cocktail accessories. We hope you enjoy these recipes, which should always be consumed in moderation! If you're having a party with friends and would rather impress them with alcohol-free cocktail recipes, check out our article on mocktails. Happy tasting!

Have you ever wondered how certain drinks came to be? Here we explore not only six tasty cocktail ideas, but also the surprising and often fascinating story behind each one. Get ready for an exciting journey filled with tasty ingredients, tantalizing aromas, and exciting stories. 1. The Moscow Mule: a not-so-Russian story Vodka was unfamiliar to most Americans in 1939, so John Martin, owner of Smirnoff at the time, wanted to introduce his spirit to the United States. He contacted his friend Jack Morgan, owner of a Los Angeles pub, who was also in the midst of promoting his new product: ginger beer. They partnered with Sophie Berezinski, a young Russian woman who immigrated to LA and produced copper cups. Together, they created a cocktail that is very well known today featuring vodka and ginger beer served in a copper cup! Despite holding the name “Moscow” (references vodka’s origins) and “mule” (suggesting that it would be as harsh as an animal’s kick), the cocktail originates neither from Russia nor from a Midwest ranch. Instead, it was a marketing plan from three imaginative entrepreneurs with a great idea that is still being enjoyed today. How to prepare a Moscow Mule The Moscow Mule is a very popular summer cocktail for its flavours, refreshing side and simplicity to prepare. 5 oz of Vodka ¼ oz of lime juice 4 oz of ginger beer Bitters, to taste (Angostura or ginger bitters) Put ice cubes and lemon slices in a glass, add the vodka and lime juice, mix using a cocktail spoon and top your glass with the ginger beer. Finally, enjoy the cocktail! We recommend serving it in a Moscow Mule mug. 2. The Margarita: the secrets of the legendary cocktail There are many stories about the invention of the classic Margarita, the most popular one being from Acapulco in 1948. It describes an American named Margaret Sames who went to Mexico for Christmas and got into the habit of serving her guests a refreshing combination of tequila, triple sec and lime juice. It is said to be a Mexican adaptation of the Brandy-based Daisy (Margarita in Spanish). It has since been considered a poolside afternoon cocktail and remains one of the most popular cocktails in North America. A fresh Margarita ready in a few minutes The Margarita is a classic cocktail to make and only requires a few ingredients: 2 oz of tequila 1 oz of fresh lime juice 5 oz of citrus liqueur (triple sec, Cointreau, etc.) For a frozen cocktail, you can mix the ingredients with ice in a shaker or a mixing glass. You can also add an extra touch of flavour and garnish by running a lime around the rim of your glass and dipping it in some salt. To fully enjoy all the flavours that a Margarita has to offer, we recommend serving it in Marie-Antoinette style glass or in an Old Fashioned glass. Shop our cocktail glassware 3. The Negroni: a century of Italy in one glass The Negroni is a worldwide classic when it comes to bitter and refreshing cocktails. It originated in Florence, Italy in the early 20th century. At the time, the aristocracy would meet at Café Casoni for a drink before dinner and Camillo Negroni would drink an Americano: a cocktail made of Campari, red vermouth and soda. Following a trip to London, he told his barman to add gin, a recently discovered spirit, to his classic Americano and to remove the soda to make it a stronger cocktail. This was a success, and the Negroni remains one of the best-known cocktails in the world. The Negroni, a simple cocktail that hits the spot every time The Negroni is made for lovers of bitter and strong yet refreshing cocktails. This cocktail is extremely easy to prepare: 1 oz of gin 1 oz of bitter liqueur (Campari, Amermelade, Aperol) 1 oz of red vermouth Place large ice cubes in a glass and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix using a bar spoon and garnish your glass with an orange or grapefruit wedge. 4. The Mojito: recipe and history of a classic from Cuba According to an early 16th century Caribbean legend, the English privateer and explorer Francis Drake invented the modern Mojito. Legend says that the explorer enjoyed sipping tafia, a cheap industrial rum, with crushed mint leaves between pillages. This mix was named “El Draque” in his honour, but in the 20th century, rum became a higher quality commodity and the Drake evolved. Lime was then added to the original mixture and the mojito became the emblematic cocktail of Cuban culture in 1920, with rum being Cuba’s main export. Mojito preparation secrets The Mojito is the ideal cocktail to enjoy on a patio in the summer. Its sweetness and freshness make it a cocktail that everyone loves. 2 oz of white rum ¾ oz of simple syrup or 2 tsp of sugar Fresh mint leaves, crushed Lime wedges, crushed Soda First, crush your mint leaves and lime wedges in a shaker using a muddler. Follow by adding the ice, rum and simple syrup (or sugar). Shake vigorously, pour in a glass and top it with soda to taste. Finally, for an elevated presentation, garnish your glass with a lime wedge. 5. The Pisco Sour: a South American cocktail that divides A traditional and national recipe in Peru and Chile, the Pisco Sour is a cocktail born in the midst of a nationalist feud between the two countries. Chile and Peru each claim to have invented Pisco, and therefore the Pisco Sour. This eau-de-vie produced by the distillation of grapes, like Brandy or Cognac, generally does not undergo any ageing in casks, which leaves it colourless and lacking the woody aromas of its European cousins. Whether Chilean or Peruvian, Pisco remains a high-quality alcohol made from grapes, satisfying brandy lovers in South America. The cocktail was first mentioned in 1928 during the promotion of the Morris Bar in Lima and in the 1934 novel "La Chica de Crillon" by the Chilean Joaquin Edwards Bello. These two nations clearly cannot agree on the origins of the best cocktail south of the equator! A perfectly prepared Pisco Sour The Pisco Sour is a simple cocktail to make, using unique ingredients which may not normally come to mind, like egg. 5 oz of pisco 1 oz of lemon juice 5 oz of simple syrup 1 egg white Angostura bitters To prepare a good Pisco Sour, vigorously shake all the ingredients except the bitters with some ice in a shaker. Strain the mixture into a glass preferably a wide bottom one like the Norlan whiskey glass. Add the bitters and a lemon zest garnish before serving. Find the perfect ingredients for your cocktail 6. The Martini: behind the cocktail that has conquered the world The most common theory on the origin of the Martini comes from the town of Martinez, California. According to historians and locals, the cocktail was invented in the mid-1800s during the gold rush era. A miner, wishing to celebrate his luck in his search for gold, is said to have asked for champagne at a local bar to mark the occasion. The barman, not having any, insisted on creating a cocktail with the ingredients available at the time: gin, vermouth, bitters, maraschino liqueur and lemon. Other theories point instead to the beginnings of the Martini&Rossi brand, a vermouth that is still popular today and presumably helped popularize the cocktail in the 19th century. It has evolved over the years and had its heyday in the 50s and 60s during the Mad Man era, when workers consumed it generously during their business dinners. Fortunately for our health, it is now more common to consume it after a workday or on weekends by the pool. A simple cocktail recipe Usually served very cold, the martini is a cocktail that can be enjoyed on the patio on a hot day. It is quite simple to make and doesn’t require any mixology background. 5 oz of dry gin ¼ oz of dry vermouth (white) Olive brine (for a dirty martini) Ice cubes 2 green olives Preparing a martini simply requires adding all ingredients in a martini glass and mixing with an appropriate spoon. It should be noted that James Bond, the famous British secret agent from Ian Fleming’s novels, is known for enjoying his martinis prepared in a shaker, which cools and dilutes the cocktail quicker. Shaking a cocktail creates small air bubbles in the mixture, which can be useful for milky cocktails like a Pina Colada, frothy cocktails like a Pisco Sour, or fruity cocktails. On the other hand, it is not as ideal for a Martini, where the predominant ingredients are alcohol and bitters. Cocktails, recipes and stories There you have it, 6 classic cocktails and a little bit of their history to inspire you to make them at home. We hope you found these cocktail ideas and their stories as interesting as we did. Syrups, bitters, glasses, bar tools: At Vinum Design, we have all the accessories you could need for your cocktail making, whether you are a professional or novice. Visit one of our wine and spirits accessory shops in Montreal and Quebec City or our online store to make the cocktail kit you've always wanted.

1. What Is a Syrup? A syrup is a mixture of water and sugar, typically in equal parts. In other words, for every milliliter of water, there is an equal amount of sugar in grams. A syrup made solely from water and sugar is referred to as a "Simple Syrup", such as the Simple Syrup – Prosyro (340mL). To homogenize a syrup, there are two methods: cold mixing (by stirring the ingredients) or by heating the mixture until it becomes a clear and thick liquid. The hot method is generally preferred, as it kills bacteria and extends the syrup’s shelf life. This is also the stage when infusions can be added to create flavored cocktail syrups, such as Elderflower Syrup – Gourmet Sauvage (245mL) or Haskap Cranberry Rosemary Syrup – Ô Sirop (118mL). Syrups add balance and flavor to cocktails without increasing the alcohol content, allowing individual flavors to shine. It’s recommended to offset the added sugar with bitter or acidic ingredients, such as citrus juice or a cordial (a Vinum exclusive), to create flavorful and well-balanced cocktails.   2. What Makes a Cordial Different? The term cordial is somewhat broad in the world of mixology. By definition, a cordial is a blend of juice, fruits, acids, spices, or floral waters that enhance a cocktail’s structure. Nowadays, "cordial" often refers to a more acidic mixture, similar to citrus juice, used to replace lemon or lime juice for added complexity in cocktails. This is still a relatively new concept and remains rare in the cocktail ingredient market. Additionally, the human palate tends to resist bitter or acidic flavors, making cordials more complex to craft than syrups—take for example the Yuzu Cordial – Syro-Solutions (946mL). Why choose a cordial over a syrup? When exploring new flavors in mixology, it’s important to highlight ingredients in ways that best reflect their natural profile. For example, strawberries are naturally sweet and are best used as a strawberry syrup. On the other hand, passion fruit is naturally acidic and shines more in a passion fruit cordial. 3. Quick Comparison Table Elements Syrup Cordial Composition Sugar + water + optional infusions Acidity + sugar + water + custom infusions Flavor Complexity Low to medium Medium to high Typical Use Balance sweetness, add light aromatics Structure flavor, add complexity, replace citrus juice 4. How to Choose? Syrup: Ideal for quickly sweetening and subtly aromatizing a cocktail while balancing acidity to taste. Cordial: Perfect for adding depth and acidity beyond what traditional citrus juices offer, while also balancing sweetness. 5. Demonstration Recipe Here’s a recipe to illustrate the importance of each ingredient in a cocktail and their specific roles: Ingredients: 1.5 oz Seedlip Notas de Agave or a Blanco Tequila of your choice 0.75 oz Yuzu Cordial – Syro-Solutions 0.5 oz Mango Syrup – Prosyro   Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass using both a cocktail and fine mesh strainer. Glassware: Rona Nick & Nora Glass – 5.5 oz Garnish: Dehydrated lime wheel     Written by Mauricio Jordan

You've imagined the perfect cocktail for your guests. There are beautiful colors and harmonious aromas, all served in refined glasses. The only flaw is that the whitish and imperfect ice cubes do not enrich your beverage to its true perfection. Making the perfect crystal-clear ice cube is within your reach. Here are 3 methods from professionals on how to make clear ice cubes. 1. Boil water to make clear ice cubes Boiling water to obtain clear ice cubes may seem counterproductive, but this trick is highly effective. It is the impurities present in the water that give the ice cubes their opacity and whitish color. Invisible in the liquid state, these small impurities appear when the water solidifies. It is necessary to boil water to make these imperfections disappear. You will need: an ice cube tray or mold (choose a silicone round ice cube tray for a stylish effect), plastic wrap, a pot or kettle and a freezer. You can also get demineralized water for a better result, but it is not necessary. To make crystal clear ice, follow these steps: Bring the water to a boil and then let it cool Once the water has cooled, bring it back to a boil and let it cool down again Place the water in your ice cube tray Cover your tray with plastic wrap to prevent air from getting into the water Let your ice cubes harden for at least two hours Once the ice cubes have solidified, run a stream of water over them to defrost their face. This will give you crystal clear ice cubes. Note that results may vary depending on the composition of the water you use, the size of the molds used and your freezer. Shop Our Bar & Cocktail Accessories Are you a cocktail lover and want to get started in mixology? Read our article to know how to assemble your mixology kit with tools like an expert at home. 2. Making clear ice cubes with a mini cooler If you want crystal clear ice cubes, another method is to slow down the freezing speed of your ice by using a small, insulated cooler and a freezer. Here are the steps when using a mini cooler and a freezer: Arrange the empty ice cube molds in a clean small cooler Fill the cooler with water until the mold is submerged Remove or open the lid of the cooler and place it into the freezer Wait until the entire block of ice is frozen and place that in a clean bowl Let it sit for about an hour and then use a saw knife to gently make cuts in the block around the molded cubes Gently tap the back of the knife with a mallet to crack the ice and dislodge your molds Once the molds are out, remove the ice cubes This second method is relatively more complex than the first method. This way has the benefits of giving an almost impeccable result! 3. Making clear ice cubes with a special mold This third method of making clear ice cubes is by far the easiest and fastest. All you need to do is purchase a clear ice cube mold from a bar accessory store like Vinum Design. This type of ice cube tray is a mold and is identical to the technique of submerging a tray in a cooler. Once frozen, the ice cubes are ready to use. You can also buy a clear ice maker for ease of perfecting your mixology. These machines are an investment of several hundreds of dollars. Tovolo’s Sphere Clear Ice Molds Create exceptional cocktails with Vinum Design’s bar accessories While ice is an important component of a well-made cocktail, it is only one of the many elements that make up the unique experience of the perfect classic cocktail. Having the right tools will make the job easier for any cocktail lover, whether they are a novice, an expert or an aficionado. At Vinum Design, we offer a wide range of bar tools and mixology accessories so that all cocktail enthusiasts can live their passion to the fullest. Cocktail shakers, cocktail spoons, bitters; find everything you need to make your cocktails perfect on our online store or in one of our locations today. Shop now