Wet

What does "wet" mean?

If you order your martini "wet", more vermouth goes into the glass than in the modern standard recipe. The gin takes a step back and lets the vermouth play along: the drink becomes softer, more floral and mellow on the finish. In short, "wet" is simply the counterpart to "dry", where the vermouth is measured out more sparingly.

The levels of wet

• Wet: a good deal more vermouth, softer and rounder than the standard
• Very wet: the vermouth nearly matches the gin, very floral and mild
• 50/50: equal parts gin and vermouth, the wettest version

The levels are fluid, because there is no such thing as the one "perfect" martini. Just say which direction you want to go and we will adjust the vermouth for you.

The historical twist: the first martini was properly wet

And now for the beautiful part: what counts as "very wet" today was the standard more than a hundred years ago. In the old recipes of the late 19th century, gin and vermouth often each made up half the drink, and some early recipes were even heavier on the vermouth. Only in the 20th century did the vermouth share keep sliding downwards, until the stingy "dry" martini became the norm.

So if you order a 50/50 martini today, you are not trying anything new, you are practically drinking the original martini. That is exactly why it is worth letting the vermouth back in.

Don't mix them up: wet, dry, dirty and perfect

Four little ordering codes circulate around the martini, here is the overview:

• Dry: less vermouth, the gin dominates
• Wet: more vermouth, softer and more floral
• Dirty: a splash of olive brine for a salty note
• Perfect: equal parts dry and sweet vermouth, a category of its own

And of course the codes can be combined. A "wet dirty martini" is a soft, salty pleasure, however wild that may sound at first.

At our lounge

Want to find out whether the soft, vermouthy style suits you? Simply order your martini "wet" and compare it against the dry version. Our team at the bar will tune the balance exactly to your taste, and if you like, turn the tasting into a lovely evening for two.