Pressure Drop

 

Story

The Martinez is a classic cocktail that first appeared in print in 1884 in The Modern Bartenders’ Guide by O.H. Byron.  The origins of the cocktail are lost to time, but it featured equal parts gin and sweet vermouth, plus some maraschino liqueur and bitters.  There is some evidence that the Manhattan was invented first, the Martinez was a variant, and further tweaking over time resulted in the modern martini.  Thomas Waugh created the Pressure Drop for Death & Co. in 2009 as a riff on the Martinez.  By replacing sweet vermouth with a dry vermouth / amaro mix and dropping in a bit of pear brandy as a fruity accent, he created a marvel.  The aroma is all gin, but a sip reveals a balanced interplay of fruit, saffron from the Meletti, and a hint of bitterness wrapped up in a smooth pillow of Old Tom.  Easy to make, even easier to drink.

 

Recipe

1.5 oz Old Tom gin
1 oz Amaro Meletti
0.5 oz Dolin dry vermouth
1 tsp pear brandy
1dash Angostura bitters
-stir ingredients with ice
-strain into chilled coup or Nick & Nora
-no garnish