Is the ‘Martini’ inextricably linked with escapism? James Thomas agrees that it is. It associations with 1920’s good time America, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, more recently Madmen series and long-distance travel, at the front end of the plane suggest an air of escapism.
James is co-creator of the World’s Best Martini Challenge with his travelling mate Gary Sharp. They were spending far too much time in Gordon Ramsay’s bar at Heathrow, so much so that it became a ‘local’. When I mean ‘local’ they had a bottle of Tanqueray 10 Gin stuffed away in a fridge behind the bar that would only make an appearance when they turned up to demand a Martini to steady their constitution before going off to far flung places. If that’s not escapism then what is?
Whilst they mused their dry, bracing, palate sharpening cocktail they had the idea that with all the new small gin brands on the market that there must be many different expressions of the ‘classic’ Martini.
Having met few of the smaller gin producers they recognised the passion within and their desire to share that passion with all around. So they pitched the idea to a small clutch of them at festivals and received some great support. So was born the World’s Best Martini Challenge.
How did gin get this poplar? The TV Series Madmen comes in for some credit, but a greater part must be attributed to the consumer populism of artisanal, small producer, authentic craft food and drink.
We’ve seen it in other categories from bakery to beer. Gin is relatively easy to produce and put your own expression and passion into, perhaps more so than vodka, where more volume and a more technical production led process is made.
Whilst the UK produces the largest part of the world’s gin production – what is it about the UK and alcohol – the UK exports of gin are more than beef at £475M, there are over 270 UK distilleries now and sales of gin are now worth £1.2Bn from 45M bottles sold. The gin revolution is incredible and international. Dublin, Vermont, New England, U.S.A each have their own extensive, relatively, wide range of gin brands.
The first World’s Best event was in January 2017 on a cold winter’s day. 120 people turned up to participate along with some hand selected experts who were the judges. They picked a winner – Daffy’s Gin.
The Challenge is open to any gin manufacturer who wants to give their botanicals a work out. Typically the challenge is for and about smaller gin producers, not to say that the bigger brands would be excluded, but it just might not be their scene.
There is a whole selection process that goes on before they whittle it down to the last 5 finalist contenders. The contenders get to mixes three martinis
1 A classic dry martini using last year’s winning gin
2 A classic dry martini using the ginco’s gin
3 A martini recipe that best showcases the ginco’s gin
What does best mean? Drinkability is important it has to have a dry rasp, crystal clear, with garnish, perfectly diluted and chilled to precise drinking temperature.
One entrant, who shall remain nameless, served a warm martini last year, and they were from a high profile hospitality venue in London. So getting it wrong is a real possibility and reputation does not automatically produce quality.
The are no ‘rules’ as such but there are some stipulations (maybe the same?) – the resulting drink has to use gin and a dry vermouth but after that it is free for all. Last year’s winner included orange peel, mint leaf, warm cassia bark, raw ground almonds and coriander tincture, so this is really ‘no holds barred’ on ingredients.
As James’ says ‘all martinis are cocktails but not all cocktails are martinis’.
The classic martini’s simplicity is it’s beauty, however that simplicity is the hardest thing to get right.
They are martini geeks – prescriptivists as one bard labelled them, they are strictly about gin not vodka. Vodka is strictly off limits. An espresso martini is a cocktail, not a martini by their book. Not that they diss the other drinks, it is just that the ‘martini’ experience is pure for them and their peers.
What food goes with Martini? A great big steak in a New York restaurant. Well, I am not sure it passes the fine dining test but it certainly wins for balls out brashness.
What will the gin producers do next – make whisky! According to sources close to James there are many gin producers identifying and selecting casks for ageing unique innovative whisky’s. Remember you heard it here first!
So Martini linked with escapism? Undoubtedly it is from a consumer perspective which extends into the producer and brand world. Any drink is ultimately an experience, and the World’s Best Martini is doing its best to extend that apparently singular drink into a movement.
Alistair Morrell, Hospitality & Catering News, Wine & Drinks Editor