Stir or shake with ice; strain into chilled glass. Garnish as desired with olive or lemon twist.

VARIATIONS

Cajun Martini: Substitute Jalapeño-Infused Vodka or Gin (see infused vodka) for the regular gin; garnish with a pickled tomato or okra, or a tiny whole red or green chile (don’t bite into it!).

Dirty Martini: Add 1 to 2 tsp. olive brine.

Fino Martini: Substitute 2 tsp. fino sherry for the vermouth.

Gibson: Garnish with a cocktail onion.

Paisley Martini: Reduce vermouth to 1½ tsp. Add 1 tsp. Scotch; garnish with lemon twist.

Peggy Cocktail: Add ¼ tsp. each Dubonnet rouge and Pemod.

Perfect Martini: Use half sweet and half dry vermouth; garnish with orange slice.

Racquet Club: Add 1 to 2 dashes (about 1/16 to 1/8 tsp.) orange bitters.

Rolls Royce: Use half dry vermouth and half sweet vermouth; add ¼ tsp. Bénédictine.

Rumtini: Substitute light rum for the gin; garnish with lime twist.

Saketini: Substitute sake for the vermouth; garnish with lemon twist or olive.

Scotini: Substitute Scotch for the vermouth; garnish with lemon twist.

Sweet Martini: Substitute sweet vermouth for the dry vermouth; garnish with orange slice.

Tequini: Substitute tequila for the gin.

Third Degree: Add ½ tsp. Pemod or other anise-flavored liqueur.