The martini 'pope' comes to Sydney

Wet or dry? Olive or a twist? European gin or something local?

For a 100-year-old cocktail with two ingredients – traditionally gin and vermouth – the martini can be modified in myriad ways according to personal preference and taste. One question that won't be asked by any bartender worth their margarita salt, however, is "shaken or stirred?".

"We love the smooth texture vermouth and ice provide a martini when it's stirred and that silkiness would be lost if the cocktail was shaken," says Agostino "Ago" Perrone, director of mixology at London's Connaught Hotel – currently number two on the World's 50 Best Bars list, behind Dante in New York.

"We all know James Bond's famous quote 'shaken not stirred', however I must confess that a former Bond actor is a guest of The Connaught and he always opts for a stirred martini."

Perrone is visiting Sydney with The Connaught's head mixologist Giorgio Bargiani to host a martini-focused event on Monday at Maybe Sammy, a 1950s Las Vegas-inspired bar in The Rocks.

Few bartenders command the same level of global respect for their martini skills as The Connaught's cocktail master.

"In Italy, we say 'if you go to Rome, you must see the Pope', but in the bartending world, we say 'if you go to London, you must see Ago'," says Orlando Marzo, curator of Melbourne Cocktail Festival, where Perrone will be speaking at a sold-out industry symposium next week.

"It's not just about the cocktail, it's about the hospitality behind it. He goes above and beyond to make a martini perfectly tailored to you."

Limited tickets are available for Perrone's guest appearance at Maybe Sammy, where a replica of The Connaught's luxe martini trolley has been purpose built for the occasion.

"We use the martini trolley to approach guests and establish a two-way conversation that lasts throughout the cocktail making," says Perrone.

"Guests play an active role in the martini making and this is fundamental in creating their memories of the cocktail. We tailor a personalised martini based on the guest's preference by offering the choice of the spirit base, the garnish and an aromatic bitter among five especially designed for our bar."

Maybe Sammy co-owner Stefano Catino believes martinis have become significantly more popular with Sydney drinkers over the last five years.

"The first reason for this is the gin boom with so many great Australian gins on the market and more being released each week'," says Catino, whose preferred martini ratio is four parts gin to one part vermouth. (The "wetter" the martini, the more vermouth it contains.)

"I also believe more people are ordering martinis because they enjoy the customisation aspect. Questions such as 'wet or dry?' make the experience very personal. It makes you feel like you know what you're doing."

The key ingredients of a great martini

Gin

In its truest form, a martini is gin and vermouth stirred over ice, strained into a chilled glass and garnished with an olive or lemon peel. A bold, dry gin such as Sipmith, Beefeater or Tanqueray is good, but it's entirely a matter of personal preference. Catino also recommends the juniper-forward gins made by Never Never Distilling Co in South Australia.

As for 007's penchant for vodka in his martini, Perrone says this is way more acceptable behaviour than shaking the cocktail.

"Like many variations of the martini, vodka definitely has a place and is particularly embedded in the public's mind thanks to Bond. At The Connaught, we always begin making a martini by asking guests what their base spirit of choice is."

Vermouth

Never sweet vermouth, alway dry – Noilly Pratt and Dolin are usual suspects. It's also important the vermouth wasn't opened months (or years) ago to collect dust in a cupboard. Vermouth is fortified wine, but it's wine nonetheless and will begin to oxidise about a month after it's opened. For optimum freshness, vermouth should be stored in the fridge.

The perfect ratio

"Unless there is a specific request, the ratio of gin to vermouth for our signature martini is five parts to one," says Perrone. Three martinis of this magnitude could floor an elephant, however, and Catino recommends a one-to-one ratio if there's a long night of dinner and wine ahead. "If it's a nice fresh vermouth, sometimes I don't mind equal parts either," he says.

Ice

Much like whisky, a little dilution of gin through water will open up its botanicals and enhance a drinking experience. Stirring gin and vermouth for 30 seconds over ice is paramount to a perfect, bracing martini.

Garnish

"The garnish is the drinker's choice for excellence," says Perrone. "The lemon peel gives the most pronounced aroma with its fresh citrus notes and therefore pairs better with the botanicals of gin. The olive conveys a drier taste and pairs better with vodka, while a pickled onion provides the savoury note and acidity typical of a Gibson martini."