When it comes to Martinis, there’s no shortage of options to make it your own. Generally speaking, you’ll be looking into a glass of mostly gin or vodka, with a small pour of vermouth. A wet Martini has more vermouth, while a dry Martini has less. And then there’s the garnish: with olives and brine (dirty), a lemon peel (a twist) or maybe even a cocktail onion (the Gibson). But the grand old Martini hasn’t always been the liquor-heavy tipple we know it as now. Sydney’s drinking scene is awash with “wetter” house Martinis, ushering in an alternative way to enjoy the world’s sexiest drink.

The Euro-inspired charmer Vermuteria was where I first spied “50/50” on a Martini list. What came was the gin-and-olive flavour I wanted, with an altogether smoother experience. It was all down to upping the vermouth.

Vermuteria’s owner Dave Spanton (also of sister bar Piccolo, home to another excellent Martini) explains that this version is where it all started. “It wasn’t until the two great wars that the Martini got drier,” Spanton tells Broadsheet. “Before that, when vermouth was readily available in places like the US and Europe, the majority of Martinis included a lot more vermouth, and the 50/50 Martini was commonplace – without having to be called a 50/50 or ‘wet’.”

We think you might like Access. For $12 a month, join our membership program to stay in the know.

SIGN UP

What we’ve been trained to do in ordering Martinis “our way” is, in reality, a more modern experience. “Those terminologies have [only] been required as the Martini got drier,” Spanton says. “People needed these terms to request more vermouth, which had become tokenistic or non-existent in the drink.”

Leave it to Vermuteria, the champions of fortified wines like vermouth, to take us back to the roots of the drink. “It made sense that our house Martini was a delicious blend of 50 per cent gin or vodka, dry vermouth and a dash of bitters. The Martini was always intended to be a marriage of vermouth and gin.

“An extra dry Martini is not really a Martini – it’s just chilled gin or vodka in a glass,” Spanton says. Whereas the 50/50 leaves you appreciating the flavours of both the spirit and the vermouth, with a much lower alcohol content.

This sentiment is shared by other Sydney bar experts across town. Ana Page (also known as Miss Martini thanks to her speciality and presence in international Martini-making comps) of Snack Kitchen and Icebergs Dining Room & Bar agrees: “Have one, you’re comfortable. Have three, and you’re really setting yourself up for a wild night.”

Page says the 50/50 at Snack Kitchen was chosen for its longevity and drinkability. “The 50/50 is designed for people who are looking for the sophistication and history of Martinis,” she says. “But this version makes it a bit more user-friendly. You could have six and still walk away from the table with your heels on.”

Another bonus is the range of vermouths bartenders get to play with. “Halving the ratios of equal parts with the 50/50 allows you to have creative flow of some amazing vermouth that you normally couldn’t blend in as much,” Page says. “It creates a very different story while following tradition and history. It’s a softer approach.”

Jackson Duxbury’s current preference – when mixing behind the Chez Crix bar – echoes Page and Spanton’s. He goes so far as (gasp) leaving ice in the glass to pour over. “If the situation requires a lengthier drink, I absolutely love a wet Martini on the rocks,” he says. Into his cold beaker goes equal parts Plymouth gin and Dolin Blanc vermouth – which Duxbury prefers for its “lighter, citrus-heavy aromatics” – along with a generous dash of Angostura orange bitters. It’s stirred vigorously over ice and strained into an even-colder rocks glass with fresh ice and garnished with a lemon twist. Maximum refreshment.

Further around town, you’ll find the well-loved two-sip Martini at Le Foote. It’s cute, petite and a refreshing way to start your dining experience, championing the case that less alcohol is more when it comes to the ‘Tini. At The Charles Bar, the house Martini is a 50/50 of Four Pillars Rare and Saison Aperitif's Summer Flowers vermouth. If you’re interested in getting drenched, flip the script entirely at Lil Sis with the “reverse” Martini – the ratios tip all the way in favour of vermouth at 5:1.

Veteran restaurateur (and noted Martini lover) Maurice Terzini sums up the benefits of the 50/50: “It’s the winemaker’s Martini – simple and hard to mess up. Toss in half this, half that and off you go. More to love, and extra room to drink more of them!” We can all drink to that.