The most classy and elegant of all cocktails, a Martini is a masterstroke of mixology. Sophisticated and minimalist, a Martini is the essence of style and glamour. It is a completely sensual experience; just shut your eyes and imagine sipping the cool, crystal clear liquid from the glass, the whiff of citrus oil as it shoots up your nose, and the seductive dance of the olive as it leads you hypnotically to the bottom of the glass. Now, look me in the eye and tell me that you aren’t thinking how far the nearest cocktail bar is.

Contrary to popular belief, a Martini is not a Martini Bianco and lemonade... or soda for that matter, but a sophisticated cocktail which is said to have been first mixed in the Knickerbocker Hotel in Paris in 1911. The Bar Tender responsible for many a drunken night since that day was called Martini di Arma di Taggi. The first Martini used Noilly Prat, a rich and earthy tasting vermouth made in the South of France to make his cocktail. Martini Bianco or Extra Dry is more commonly used these days, but for purists only Noilly Prat will do.