Smoky Martini

Written by
Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham is a cocktail expert, professional bartender, and cookbook author with over 10 years of experience in the food-writing world.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Colleen Graham
Updated 06/27/19
Smoky Martini

S&C Design Studios
  • Total: 3 mins
  • Prep: 3 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 1 cocktail (1 serving)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
189 Calories
0g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1 cocktail (1 serving)
Amount per serving
Calories 189
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 0g
Calcium 0mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The smoky martini is a very easy variation of the martini. There is no vermouth; instead, this cocktail uses a dash of scotch to back up the gin. It's an interesting combination and a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite whisky and gin in the same glass. Serve it after dinner or when you're relaxing with a couple of friends and want to show off the versatility of a new bottle of scotch.

With such a high concentration of gin (and little else), this cocktail is definitely not the place to be frugal. You're going to get the best smoky martini with a premium brand of gin, so be sure to grab the good stuff. Also, you'll find that a London dry gin (and similarly full-flavored gins) hold up to the smokier aspects of Scotch whisky; the smokier the better in this drink.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour the gin and scotch into a mixing glass filled with ice.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

  5. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

  • Before you drop the lemon twist into the glass, remember to twist it over the drink to release its essence—it's the perfect finishing touch.
  • Be sure to chill your glass because it will improve this cocktail significantly. If you forget to do it ahead of time, simply put a few cubes in the glass while you mix the drink, then dump them before straining.

Recipe Variations

  • Accent this martini with a dash or two of bitters. Aromatic bitters (like Angostura's) would be excellent, though barrel-aged bitters (such as Fee Brothers) are a perfect choice too.
  • Add a little more scotch if you like. Anything up to 1/2 ounce can work with certain gin-whisky combinations, and you will likely want to make slight adjustments as you change brands or styles.
  • While blended scotch will be amazing in this martini, don't be afraid to pour a nice single malt scotch. The various regions of Scotland produce distinct styles of single malts, so there's a lot of flavor possibilities, even with just two ingredients. Plus, at just a dash, it won't cost much to pour from high-end bottles that you may not mix with normally.
  • Take a hint from the Irish martini and rinse the glass with scotch then bring back the vermouth.

How Strong Is a Smoky Martini?

Anytime you see a cocktail that's made entirely of liquor (especially full-proof liquor), you should not be surprised that it's a strong drink. The smoky martini will not disappoint! When made with two 40-proof spirits, it stirs up to a hefty 33 percent ABV (66 proof). That's just slightly lighter than a straight shot of either gin or whisky and one of the strongest martinis you can make.