The Dry Martini combines gin, dry vermouth and orange bitters and is traditionally served very cold.
It is commonly stirred with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass, although some drinkers prefer it shaken. The classic garnish is an olive or a lemon twist. “Dry” originally referred mainly to the use of dry vermouth and, in many recipes, a lower vermouth proportion.
The Martini’s origins are disputed, with proposed links to late-nineteenth-century drinks such as the Martinez and the Marguerite. No single inventor or creation date is universally accepted.
The cocktail is often confused with the Gibson, which is essentially a Martini garnished with a cocktail onion, and the Vodka Martini, which substitutes vodka for gin. A Dirty Martini adds olive brine, changing both its flavor and appearance.