A pickled onion plays up the savory flavors of the vermouth, so the addition of an extra savory garnish seems like a fairly natural progression of the recipe.īut – some say that the early Gibson was in fact a very dry Martini, meaning that it had less vermouth than usual. Some early printed recipes list the Gibson as an equal parts gin and vermouth drink. Instead, the cocktail appears to have just used a different ratio of gin to vermouth, or been distinguished by omitting the usual orange bitters. Interestingly, early Gibson recipes did not include the onion garnish. A Perfect Martini is made with gin and equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.A Dirty Martini is made with gin, dry vermouth, a splash of olive brine, and it’s garnished with olives.A classic Martini is made with gin and dry vermouth, traditionally with a dash of orange bitters, and it’s garnished with a lemon twist or an olive.For clarity, let’s break down the primary types of martinis: The Gibsons served today are characterized by the addition of a cocktail onion garnish. What’s the difference between a Gibson and other martinis? The umami flavors of the pickled onion make for one satisfyingly savory martini.
The Gibson is a Martini variation that’s made with gin and dry vermouth and garnished with a cocktail onion.
