Martinis are certainly having their moment in the spotlight, but what about the lemon drop cocktail? You might think the citrusy drink would pop up as one of many , but you'd be wrong, because a lemon drop cocktail is actually, seriously, unreservedly ...
not a martini. Though the origins of the martini are murky, the overall recipe is not. The spirit-forward drink has its roots in the late 19th century American bartending scene, but whether the name came from the or the Martini & Rossi vermouth brand, only ye olde ghosts of cocktail lore can say.
Nevertheless, there are two essential ingredient that make the : gin and dry vermouth — and a lemon twist for garnish, if you like. If you want to add olive brine, onions, ororange bitters, it will still be a martini, albeit with a different name (dirty, Gibson, or dry, respectively). As far as gin versus vodka for martinis, that's a whole other argument to be hashed out amongst pedantic bartenders and drink historians.
The lemon drop cocktail, on the other hand, is not a martini because of its very ingredients. According to , their version is made with lemon-flavored vodka, triple sec, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and simple syrup. The brand also affirms that "All vodka martini cocktails must contain vodka and vermouth to earn that designation.
" The ingredients are shaken, not stirred, and poured into a cocktail glass rimmed with sugar. Why a lemon drop is not a martini cocktail Perhaps the misconception that a lemon drop is a var.