Charles Bork, at National Review, identifies the increasing dryness of the West’s most popular cocktail as a barometer of Western Civilization’s decline.
“The Gilded Age†(c. 1895-1920) • 3 parts dry gin • 1 part dry vermouth
“The Jazz Age†(c. 1920-1940) • 5 parts dry gin • 1 part dry vermouth
“The Greatest Generation†(c. 1940-1965) • 7 parts dry gin • 1 part dry vermouth
“The Worst Generation†(c. 1965-1985) • 15 parts dry gin • 1 part dry vermouth
“The Postmodern Age†(c. 1985-present) • 3 ounces of gin • whisper the word “vermouth†over the shaker
Read the whole thing, then mix and shake.
David Iams
The idea that the less vermouth in a martini the stronger it is goes back to radio days when a comedian would say words to the effect “just wave the vermouth bottle over it.” In fact, the vermouth enhances the potency of the gin. Try drinking a 4/1 martini one day and a 5/0 the next and you will notice the difference.
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