Craft Vodka Martini

By Bryan James | Updated on 02/20/25

I stumbled across the perfect martini ingredients on a wine tour in Napa and a liquor store search in Atlanta. Charbay has amazing wines and the best tasting vodka I've ever had. A dry martini is only two ingredients and honestly I could forgo the other and drink this straight. There are times when I feel like holding my pinky in the air when I drink though, so below is a martini recipe for such occasions.

First and foremost, any martini recipe that doesn't specify specific liquors is worthless. You can't add bad ingredients and get a good tasting martini. Here you have two options, grain or potato. The grain option is better but the potato is a close second and often easier to find. The Vermouth on the other hand is extremely difficult and I've only found one that fits the bill, the 2018 Massican Dry White Vermouth. I got lucky and found it while looking for something new in a local liquor store. There may be others that are just as good but I haven't found them yet.

*Note: If this is your drink do yourself a favor and buy a unique or at least nice cocktail shaker and a set of nice martini glasses. If they don't help you enjoy the craft more they will at least help you look good doing it. 

What You'll Need

Tools

Materials 

Optional

Instructions

The Short Version

The Long Version

Disclaimer - I am the son of son of a sailor, meaning my antique jigger measures out half a gill or 2.5 ounces and the standard daily ration in the British Royal Navy. In short, I prefer a more boozy cocktail.

2. Add Vermouth to Cocktail Shaker

This will be largely to your taste. I typically coat the bottom half of the martini glass, lets say a 1/4 teaspoon's worth. Your choice of garnish can also affect the amount. If you like yours dirty then you may prefer a little more Vermouth where as a lemon peel might require a little less. You'll have to experiment to get the blend just right for your tastes.

Also, the potato vodka has a more bold flavor than grain vodka.

In short, I'd start small and experiment until you find the best blend for you. 

3. Add Ice

4. Shake

5. Pour

Enjoy Responsibly

I hope these instructions were helpful and assist you in perfecting your own drink.