Smokey Martini

What happens when you make a Gin Martini and replace the Sweet Vermouth with Scotch Whiskey? Well, you get a Smokey Martini! Because the classic Gin Martini is so basic (but good!), people have been riffing on it for as long as it's existed. This has created a number of Martini variations, and the Smokey Martini is just one of them.

Like so much to do with the Martini, there's no clear answer on who decided to first mix Gin and Scotch. The recipe here is credited to bartended Dale DeGroff, who claims to have been mixing the Smokey Martini since the 1970's. While this recipe dates back to then, even DeGroff doesn't claim to be the first to try to make this concoction. Maybe he was the first to get the ratios right though.

But that's often the case when it comes to simpler cocktails. The Smokey Martini only has two ingredients, and it wouldn't be surprising if somebody who was short on booze decided to see what Gin and Scotch tasted like. But crafting cocktails is more than that, it's about balance. And this cocktail gets it just right.

Total Time 3

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

75 mL Gin Try a London Dry
10 mL Blended Scotch Whiskey or a Scotch Whiskey of your choosing

Instructions

Pour Gin and Scotch into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until it's cold.
Strain into a Martini Glass.
Garnish with a citrus peel if you like.
Serve and enjoy.

Notes

As with so many simple cocktails, there's not much to hide behind here, so choose a Gin and a Scotch that are good. If you use cheap ingredients, your cocktail won't taste any good. Basically, if you wouldn't be happy drinking either the Scotch or Gin neat, you won't be happy with this cocktail either.

Another great thing about this cocktail recipe is that it's easy to add to your home bar menu. Part of the reason why we created our cocktail builder website is so that it was easy to find what cocktails we could make at home with what ingredients we had. While it's fun to try and expand your bar, it's also fun to try and figure out just how many different cocktail you can make with the fewest ingredients. And the Smokey Martini really helps with things like that!

Here’s a Few More Thoughts on the Smokey Martini

Whether it’s because of the Scotch, because of the Gin, or because of the combination of the two, you’re probably curious about this cocktail. So why not make one and see what you think? We’ll wait…

Now that you’re back, what do you think? Do the two spirits in the Smokey Martini compliment each other, or is there too much competition there? We think it works well! So here’s a few more things about the Smokey Martini you may be interested in.

Does this recipe still work if you add more ingredients to the mixing glass?

Yes, it does. If you’re looking to increase this recipe to make more servings, just add more of both ingredients to your mixing glass and stir them together. There’s not really a limit to how much you can add to your mixing glass, except for the size of the glass of course, but just make sure everything is chilled effectively before serving to. To that end, you may want to add some extra ice if you’re making a few at once.

Can I pre-prepare a Smokey Martini and serve it later?

Sure. Once everything is mixed together, remove the ice and leave the mixed drink in the fridge to keep cool. Once you’re ready to serve it, just pour it into a proper glass and enjoy it. It shouldn’t be a problem.

When should I enjoy a Smokey Martini?

This is a pretty classy cocktail. Classier than the classic Gin Martini? We’re not sure, but you can decide. So reserve a cocktail like this for nicer occasions. Whether you’re having an upscale cocktail party or a fancy dinner, these are the best times for a Smokey Martini.

Then again, you’re also allowed to do what you want. If you happen to like this cocktail and want to drink it out of a jam jar on a Tuesday night, you’re more than welcome to!

Is the Smokey Martini Strong?

We’re going to go ahead and say this cocktail is relatively strong. There is a fairly hefty helping of Gin in this cocktail and that’s only added to by the Whiskey. Remember that Dry Vermouth has less alcohol than most spirits, but that’s being replaced by the Scotch in this cocktail recipe. This whole cocktail is just straight spirit, and plenty of it! Be sensible when enjoying a cocktail like this.

Is there a good kind of music that goes with a Smokey Martini?

As we already mentioned, this is a pretty classy cocktail, so stick with classy music. It doesn’t need to be a quiet string quartet playing while everybody mills around in evening dresses and tuxedos, but it also shouldn’t be heavy dance music or something like that! Give the right atmosphere to go with what you’re drinking, and you’ll enjoy your cocktail all the more!