How to pour
an old tom gin in
Place the cocktail glass in the freezer for ten minutes. A Martinez is served without ice, so the glass itself needs to retain the chill.
Add the gin, vermouth, maraschino, and bitters to a mixing glass and fill it two-thirds full with ice.
Stir for twenty to thirty seconds with a bar spoon along the side until the mixing glass mists on the outside. Stir, don’t shake, because this cocktail should remain clear.
Strain the drink into the chilled glass and squeeze an orange peel over it so the oil lands on the surface. Place the peel in the glass or along the rim.
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The story
Old tom is the gin that falls between old Dutch genever and the later London dry. It has a somewhat fuller body, with a little sugar, giving it a rounder feel on the tongue than a dry gin and allowing the juniper to come through more gently. When tastes shifted toward bone-dry gin, the style almost disappeared from the shelves, and it was only with the renewed interest in classic cocktails that bottles began to reappear. The story about the name is that London drinking establishments had a wooden sign featuring a cat; that is an anecdote, not an established fact. What is certain is that many old recipes were written for this gin.
The right glass
The martinez goes into the glass without ice, so you want a small bowl on a stem: you hold the stem, the drink stays cold, and the serving remains small enough to drink at the right temperature. The description of the Bormioli Rocco Novecento Nick and Nora glass explicitly names the martinez as the recipe this glass is intended for. If you prefer a tom collins, you need a tall, straight glass instead, which you can find among the highball glasses.
Bormioli Rocco Novecento Cocktail Glass 15.5 cl Nick & Nora (4 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Highball Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 45,90.
The right tools
For a martinez, in addition to the glass, you use a bar spoon to stir along the wall and a mixing glass in which to stir the martinez cold. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 48,85.
What do you make a martinez with?
A martinez starts with gin, preferably an old tom, with sweet vermouth and a bar spoonful of maraschino added. Well-known gins include Tanqueray and Hendrick's. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The tom collins is the second classic that calls for old tom: 5 cl gin, 3 cl lemon juice, 2 cl simple syrup, shake briefly, and top up with sparkling water in a tall glass. With London dry, you get the same drink, but sharper and leaner. Want the martinez drier? Use 5 cl gin to 2 cl vermouth; for an old-fashioned version, keep it half and half. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Chill both the bottle and the glass, and stir with plenty of ice instead of just a few cubes: the faster the drink gets cold, the less meltwater ends up in it. Pour a small serving, 8 cl in a 15 cl glass, and serve it with a glass of water. An orange peel is enough for garnish; a cherry is optional.
Good to know
What makes old tom different from London dry?
Two things: it contains some sugar and has a fuller body. This makes the juniper come through more softly and gives the gin a rounder mouthfeel. London dry may contain virtually no sugar, making it tighter and drier. In a cocktail, this mainly affects how much syrup you need to add.
Where does the name come from?
The most commonly told story is that London drinking establishments had a wooden sign with a cat on it, where you could get your drink. That story cannot be substantiated and is told in various versions. Consider it an anecdote, not an established origin.
Which cocktails were written for Old Tom?
The Martinez and Tom Collins are the main examples; both recipes call for a gin with some sweetness. If you make them with an extremely dry London dry, you’ll usually need to add a little more syrup to achieve the same balance. That’s exactly why the flavor turns out differently from what the recipe intends.
Is Old Tom the same as genever?
No. Genever is based on malt wine and tastes grainier and fuller. Old Tom is a gin, made with neutral spirit and juniper, with some sugar added. In terms of flavor, Old Tom does fall between the two, which is why you often hear them mentioned together.
What percentage of alcohol does it contain?
Old Tom is usually between 40 and 47 percent ABV, like most other gins. The sweetness comes from the sugar, not from a lower percentage. The exact figure is on the label.
Where can you buy Old Tom gin?
It remains a small category, so you’re more likely to find it at a specialty shop or a liquor store with a broad gin selection than at a supermarket. If there’s no bottle available, dry gin plus half a bar spoon of simple syrup will get you partway there, though it won’t restore the full body.
Frequently asked questions
What is Old Tom gin?
An older, lightly sweetened gin style that falls between genever and London dry. It is rounder and fuller than a dry gin, with a little sugar, which makes the juniper come through more softly.
Why does Old Tom appear in old cocktail recipes?
Because it was the gin those recipes were written for. A Martinez or Tom Collins made with an extremely dry London dry lacks the roundedness the proportions were designed around, so it tastes sharper than intended.
Can you replace Old Tom with regular gin?
You can, but expect to adjust it. A dry gin with half a bar spoon of simple syrup comes close to the desired sweetness; it won’t restore the fuller body of an Old Tom.
Which glass do you serve a Martinez in?
In a small stemmed cocktail glass, such as a Nick and Nora or a coupe. The drink goes into the glass without ice, so chill the glass beforehand and pour a serving you can drink while it’s cold.
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