Dry Recipe: The Actually Dry Martini

I am back with one more martini recipe!  This post will wrap up a string of martini posts that began with my review of the martini service at Requin.  In that post, I promised you a few recipes for making martinis at home.  First I offered my version of the classic martini recipe.  Then I gave you my briny, spicy variation, the Hot and Dirty Martini.  Here I offer you a third and (for now) final variation – fit for dry January – the non-alcoholic Actually Dry Martini:

As pictured here, this drink is powered by Seedlip Garden 108.  Seedlip describes its products as the “world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits.”  The Garden 108 is one of these.  It features flavors of “leaf,” “herb,” and “pod.”  (There’s also another variety – the Spice 94 – described as offering “wood,” “spice,” and “citrus” flavors.)

With its incorporation of gin-like botanicals, Garden 108 struck me as a plausible ingredient for an alcohol-free stand-in for the martini.  Some might object at this point that a non-alcoholic martini is a contradiction in terms, or that using soft ingredients defeats the drink’s purpose.  But I disagree.  For me, the martini’s allure is in its botanical and vegetable flavors, which are uncommon in the cocktail kingdom.

That said, I must manage expectations.  Garden 108 is not gin.  So if you are hoping for an alcohol-free martini that tastes just like the real thing, this recipe is not for you.  But I do think Garden 108’s unique flavors work in a drink with martini-like proportions and profile.  The final product mixes notes of fresh cucumber, earthy brine, and light citrus.  It’s a way to enjoy a month off from drinking without giving up the pleasing complexity of a good cocktail.  And if you’re observing dry January, this recipe gives you excuse to stop your martini glasses from collecting dust.

To make this drink, you’ll need Garden 108 (obviously – available from Amazon and the link above).  You’ll also need Gordy’s Fine Brine, discussed in the recipe post for the Hot & Dirty Martini.  And you’ll need olives and some freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Here’s the recipe:

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Actually Dry Martini

Looking for a mocktail replacement for the martini?  Try this Actually Dry Martini recipe, featuring Garden 108 by Seedlip.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mocktail

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Calories 5kcal

Author Geoffrey Wyatt

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 oz. Seedlip Garden 108
• 1/2 oz. Gordy's Fine Brine
• 1 splash freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

• Place two olives in a martini glass.
  
• Combine the Garden 108, Gordy's Fine Brine, and lemon juice in a mixing glass with ice and stir.
  
• Strain into the martini glass.
  

Enjoy!