The Connaught Martini: A recipe that's become a ritual

The bar at the Connaught has long been held in high esteem for its cocktails, becoming even more popular with frequent mention on the likes of social media channel Topjaw and podcast Off Menu. Its martini is at the pinnacle of its cocktail offering, with the famous martini cart making the rounds for guests to customise their drinks according to their tastes.

 

In its recipe book, the Connaught’s Agostino Perrone writes: "It’s a distillation of the Connaught Bar ethos – it’s about approaching our guests. We want our new guests to get excited about what we do with our classic service, and we want our regular guests to feel comfortable and yet excited about trying something new."

 

Here, Perrone distills the essence of the Connaught Bar’s martini, so that you can start customising your own cocktail.

 

Ingredients

 

• 2ml bitters of choice
• 15ml vermouth blend
• 75ml gin or vodka of choice
• Lemon twist or green olive 

 

Method

 

To make a martini with a twist

 

Using a dropper, gently pour the bitters around the rim of a frozen martini glass or coupette. 

 

Combine the vermouth and spirit in a mixing glass filled two-thirds with large ice cubes and stir until well chilled. Strain into the prepared martini glass, raising the mixing glass high to add aeration to the drink and squeezing the lemon twist into the drink as the liquid passes into the glass. Garnish with the lemon twist. 

 

To make a martini with an olive

 

Using a dropper, gently pour the bitters around the rim of a frozen martini glass or coupette. Prick the olive three times with a cocktail stick and let a little juice run out into the glass. Combine the vermouth and spirit in a mixing glass filled two-thirds with large ice cubes and stir until well chilled. 

 

Strain into the prepared martini glass, raising the mixing glass high to add aeration to the drink. Garnish with the olive skewered onto the cocktail stick. 

 

The Connaught Bar by Agostino Perrone with Giorgio Bargiani and Maura Milia (Phaidon, £29.95)