Pomegranate + Gin Cocktail [a holiday take on the "Martinez"]
I’m all about holiday baking, but what I really love are holiday cocktails. Bring on the cookies and cakes and pies…as long as you don’t forget to pour a little something special in my glass.
This Pomegranate + Gin Cocktail brings all the Christmas and New Years’ vibes – deep red color, bright gin, and sweet pomegranate flavor with a touch of orange from the Cointreau. It's inspired by the "Martinez," a cocktail that I didn't even know existed until about a month ago, but one that has quickly become a favorite.
Think of a Martinez like the perfect middle ground between a Manhattan (whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters) and a Martini (gin, dry vermouth). And just like with the Manhattan and Martini, there are a million variations of the Martinez.
A traditional Martinez uses Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and orange bitters, although there are a thousand recipes out there with slightly varying ingredients and proportions. Because of the addition of pomegranate juice, I wouldn't quite call my version below a Martinez, but with the gin, vermouth, and bitters, you can definitely see a family resemblance.
It’s the holiday season in a glass, and it doesn’t get much better than that. Cheers!
(To geek out a bit more on the Martinez Cocktail, check out this article from Saveur.)
Pomegranate + Gin Cocktail
Yields 1 drink
2 ounces gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce 100% pomegranate juice*
½ ounce Cointreau
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Strip of lemon zest and pomegranate arils
Ice
Put a cocktail glass in the freezer while you mix together the drink.
Add the gin, vermouth, pomegranate juice, Cointreau, and bitters to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir with a spoon for at least 15 seconds.
Remove the glass from the freezer, and rub the rim with a strip of lemon zest. Drop the zest in the glass.
Strain the cocktail from the shaker into the cold glass, and add a fresh ice cube and pomegranate arils. Serve and enjoy!
*Add more pomegranate juice if you prefer a sweeter cocktail. You can also top the drink off with sparkling water if you want to tone down the alcohol.
This recipe was originally featured at Lark + Linen.
