When making a Dry Martini with St. George Terroir Gin, I recommend adding a small amount, no more than a quarter ounce, of Clear Creek's Douglas Fir Eau de Vie. One of the Terroir's botanicals is Doug Fir, and the two spirits meld together beautifully with the vermouth to make something redolent of West Coast forests without being overwhelmingly pine-y (your tastes may vary). Grapefruit bitters are a good way to go in this Martini. If Douglas Fir can't be found, the Terroir still makes an excellent, richly herbal Martini on its own.

The 3-1 ratio of gin to dry vermouth along with orange bitters and a lemon peel is the recipe I use. I've seen this particular variant called the "Nick and Nora". Moving on to "which gins" and "which vermouths" could fill pages.

I like this variant from David Wondrich's Imbibe, called Formula #1 (Turf Club). It's a lot sweeter, but I tend to like things on the sweet side.

1.5 oz Old Tom Gin

1.5 oz Italian Vermouth

2-3 dash bitters (I used angostura, but calls for Peruvian)

Gin and Sweet Vermouth with a twist is occasionally known as a "Gin & It".  Not worth making a new recipe, but also delic.

Probably worth mentioning Audrey Sanders' Fitty Fitty Martini (equal parts London Dry and dry vermouth, orange bitters and lemon twist) and Eel Bar's Wet Martini (2:1:1 London Dry, blanc vermouth, and dry vermouth, orange bitters and an expressed orange peel). 

Refreshing and boozy. I lived in Brazil for 3yrs. Cut 1/2 - 1 lime into pieces & put 2 T sugar in a bottom of rocks glass, muddle, add ice & at least 3oz cachaca - cheap stuff ok. Enjoy! Never liked simple w/ this drink.

Gary Regan's Joy of Mixology book does a simpler, less lemon, more cherry, no violette, version: 2oz gin, 1/2oz maraschino, 1/2 lemon. If I like Regan's version, I'll get Creme de Violette later.

I suspect that Gary, like Ted Haigh, omits the Violette or Yvette because at the time of the writing, it wasn't available. I think it's pretty clear that the original had either Yvette or possibly Violette in order to give it the characteristic light blue color. Today, Cooper's Yvette isn't blue, so I think most people are using Violette. That said, the Violette is very strong, so I personally recommend starting with only 1/2 tsp and increasing if you like that perfume-like floral flavor. I do think that the cocktail is much more interesting with Violette. The funkiness of the Maraschino somehow offsets the yuckiness of grandma's Violette -- in a counter-intuitive sort of synergy. I hate to say it, but since Violette is artificially colored, you could add a drop of diluted blue food coloring to achieve the color if you don't have (or don't want) Violette.

I'm going to clean up this cocktail and its five variations tonight. If you think one of them is worth saving - other than the Aviation Cocktail #1, which I think we should rename Aviation (Jacques Straub), please let me know.

Thanks,

Zachary

I've tried to like this cocktail with similar proportions, but the lemon needs far more sweetener to make a comfortable balance on my tongue. I do find that the Creme de Violette does a wonderful job of toning down the harsher edge of the Maraschino and I really like the pairing in equal proportions. My current favorite proportions are 1.5 oz Gin, and .5 oz across the board for the Creme de Violette, Maraschino and Lemon Juice. The drink loses the famous sky-blue color, but still is quite a beauty with a cherry resting at the base.

I tried this cocktail last night for the first time using the proportions listed in the Haus Alpenz recipe which differs slightly from your recipe. Both, if I'm not mistaken, differ from Hugo Ensslin's recipe which I liked the best. I've started on a classic cocktail kick and didn't realize what I was missing.

Are you sure it's only 2 dashes of Violette? I used the Rothman and Winter CdV for this recipe and I tasted no creme de violette and it wasn't at all blue.

Jaba,

I'm sure it's 2 dashes. You could try setting a "part" at 3/4 oz (which will make a small drink), or increasing the Violette until you like it.

Thanks,

Zachary

I use 1/4 tsp per dash, so about 1/2 tsp for this, which I find gives a nice background floral aspect and a slight greyish color. There is always uncertainty in what a dash is, especially for an ingredient that doesn't come in a dasher bottle.

Some use up to a 1/2 oz of Violette. There's no reason you shouldn't adjust this to your taste. You may have to adjust the lemon too.

Liked:
2 oz gin
1 oz lemon
1/2 oz maraschino
1 tsp CdV

It's hard to measure dash of CdV and Maraschino liqueur. I prefer the 1/4 oz CdV, 1/3-1/2 oz Maraschino along w 1/2-3/4 oz lemon juice and 2 oz gin. 

Recipe says 1940s origin, but this cocktail appeared in a 1916 guide (Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo R. Ensslin), according to classicmixology.com.

Thanks, I updated the origin reference and noted the original recipe, with sounds dreadful to me. 25% violette will be a mouth of grandma.

Incidentally, A Mouth of Grandma is my hardcore band's name.

This started out well-balanced but got quite absinthe-heavy as it went along. I suspect it's because it cooled down—it may stay balanced longer over ice.

I love mouthfuls of grandma! (not the band though, sorry)

Can someone post the non-modern version of this cocktail?  

This would be the original or close to it, I think. 

Curated this to conform to the VS&FC recipe. Updated creator and source information.

Good but I found it a bit tart, cut it back to heavy 1/2 oz and found it to be better balanced

Alternate Recipe via PUNCH:

1 1/2 ounces rum (preferably El Dorado 5 Year)

1/2 ounce falernum

1/4 ounce orange curacao (preferably Pierre Ferrand)

3/4 ounce lime juice

I used Bitter Truth's creme de violette and Clooney's blanco tequila (I forgot its actual name since I have it in a decanter).  This is a nice, well balanced cocktail.  Sort of clean and refreshing, if you will, with a nice limey - violette finish.

Corrected recipe and added attribution

Would like to know which bourbons or whiskeys for that matter work best? We were playing around today and found not all bourbons are up to the task. Any favorites?

I think Bourbon here is the way to go - you need the sweetness to balance out the allspice and lime. I like something fairly high proof - Booker's, Rowan's Creek, Baker's. 

Thanks,

Zachary

Awesome Thanks!

Moderated this to be in line with the 1937 version of the Cafe Royal Cocktail Book as noted in the link above. That recipe was 2/3 Bourbon, 1/6 lime, 1/6 pimiento dram (or 4:1:1) , so setting 2/3 = 2 oz works.

This cocktail is much nicer than I previously thought. I had substituted Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur (Nocino) for the Allspice Dram and thought it was merely good. I think the trick is to balance the Allspice Dram with the bourbon. St Elizabeth is very potent. I suggest no more than 1/4 oz and maybe just 1 tsp (1/6 oz). To add a bit more depth, I added 1/4 oz of Becherovka, which has a compatible cinnamon spice and a touch of bitterness. Together with the Angostura, and in moderation, this combines with the bourbon and lime for an accessible and unusual cocktail. A clove-forward bitters would work well too, I suspect.

I want to try rye in this. And actually, it's pretty potent due to the high quantity of spirit. Booker's would put you under the table.

I'd say that if you like bourbon equally well as rye, then use bourbon here. If you prefer rye to bourbon, rye works fine too.

I discovered (and fell madly in love with) this drink at my favorite DC spot, where they make it with Old Overholt rye. Doesn't have to be expensive to be good! As for a clove-forward bitters--from a separate comment--The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters might fit the bill, if you really want some extra spice.

This cocktail is a perfect example of the end result is dependent upon what brand you use, especially for the allspice dram. I usually give generic recipes so that way the "essence" of the cocktail is usually intact with most commonly found brands and ingredients. First time I made this I used Ted Haigh's ratio of 2oz bourbon, 3/4 oz allspice dram (yikes!!!!) 1/2 oz lime and 1/4 oz simple (dash of bitters too). Waaaayyy too much spice....but I used St. Elizabeths. I think Dan is right on with a tsp, in which that's the amount I use now with St. Elizabeth. the "or less" he stated after the allspice ratio is an understatment...Still, quite pleasing when done with minimal allspice and using rye vs bourbon.