GIN COCKTAIL RECIPES
Montgomery
The Dry Martini recipe according to Hemingway.
When it comes to this drink, there is one thing that comes to mind: the Montgomery is a dry cocktail. It is neither sweet nor bitter, nor yet sour or salty. It is purely and exquisitely dry. This is the secret of a cocktail that has long been part of the history of Harry’s Bar, just like the man who invented it, Mister Ernest Hemingway.
This variant of the traditional Dry Martini recreates the perfect harmony between English Gin and Dry Vermouth, suitable for the most discerning palates. It is time to reveal the Montgomery recipe, to educate your palate on timeless flavors and rediscover a great classic at home.
Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
3 minutes
Serving
1 drink
INGREDIENTS
Only two essential ingredients are required to mix a perfect Montgomery, in a 15 to 1 ratio.
3 oz. of Gin
0,15 oz. of Vermouth Dry
Ice
Lemon rind
RECIPE AND TIPS FOR A HOMEMADE MONTGOMERY
Aromatic precision defines this Mixology excellence as a true legend. Here are the steps to prepare it.
The first step is to chill a short cylindrical tumbler glass with ice or by placing the glass in the freezer ahead of time, as is customary at Harry’s Bar.
In a mixing glass filled with ice, pour in a dash of Vermouth and stir. Then, add 3 ounces of Gin to the Vermouth. Alternatively, to avoid using ice and to be faithful to the Cipriani recipe, store the two spirits in the freezer to keep them icy and ready for mixing.
Stir gently with the help of a stirrer.
Pour the drink into a cooled glass, straining out the ice used during mixing.
FOR GARNISHES LOVERS, ADD A TWIST OF LEMON RIND
AND THE MONTGOMERY IS READY TO BE SERVED.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY AND GENERAL MONTGOMERY
The Montgomery cocktail is more than a just simple cocktail, it is the legacy Ernest Hemingway has given to the world of Mixology. When he visited Harry’s Bar, the writer used to order a Dry Martini with a slightly modified recipe, yet with precise proportions. “He preferred that the Vermouth, in respect to the Gin, not exceed a proportion of one to fifteen. The same proportion – Hemingway would say – with which the famous English General Montgomery was fighting his battles during the Second World War: fifteen of his soldiers against for each of his enemy’s” (source: “Harry’s Bar Venezia, Le ricette della tradizione“, Arrigo Cipriani).
The original Montgomery prepared at Harry’s Bar
Montgomery lovers, just as its creator, are minimalists and extremely precise: no garnishes, no ice, only balance. “The olive, the onion, the lemon rind, the lemon twist, are nothing but an attempt to make a merely mediocre Martini look good” (source: “Harry’s Bar Venezia, Le ricette della tradizione“, Arrigo Cipriani).
Hemingway’s authentic cocktail consumed at Harry’s Bar is truly essential, but in order to be excellent, it must be prepared with careful consideration. For Cipriani, the secret lies not only in the amount of dry Vermouth used, but also in the serving temperature. A Montgomery must be served ice cold, but never diluted, nor shaken with ice. The best solution is to keep the Gin and Dry Vermouth bottles in the freezer, as well as the glass. The second suggestion regards the shape of the latter. The authentic solution when serving a Montgomery is a cylindrical shaped 5-ounce glass, often called a tumbler. One last suggestion is to sip this contemplative and solemn cocktail with deep concentration, in order to taste and savor it at its best.