John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged gin · everything

PUNCH

5 Underrated Gin Cocktails, From a Martini Riff to a Tropical Fizz | PUNCH

The article surveys five overlooked gin-based cocktails worth rediscovering, from the Cardinale—an austere aperitivo combining gin, white wine, and Campari—to the Star Daisy with its unusual blend of London dry gin, apple brandy, and dry Curaçao. Lesser-known drinks like the Gin Fizz Tropical (a tropical silver fizz from a 1939 cocktail guide), the Wibble (a London 1990s creation slowly spreading through European cities), and the Obituary (a New Orleans Martini variation enhanced with absinthe) represent a canon of underappreciated classics that bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts are gradually reviving.

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www.esquire.com

The Truth About the Martini

The martini has experienced a remarkable cultural resurgence in recent years, partly due to social media appeal and meme culture, but more fundamentally because it remains the perfect antidote to modern life—a serious drinker's reward that doesn't mask its alcohol but instead delivers it cold and bracing to calm the mind after a difficult day. Ruck traces the drink's history through Esquire's archives, noting that it was deeply unfashionable in the 1970s and '80s when young people rejected it as a symbol of bourgeois decadence, before its gradual rehabilitation into a drink of timeless sophistication. The piece combines personal anecdotes about martinis consumed around the world with practical guidance on preparation (ice cold, straight up, gin or vodka) to argue that the cocktail's enduring appeal lies in its uncompromising nature and its essential role in the lives of serious, busy people.

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www.esquire.com

Esquire’s Best Martinis in America: 2025 Edition

Esquire's guide celebrates martinis being creatively reimagined by bartenders across America rather than treated as a sacred, untouchable classic. The piece showcases over twenty exceptional martinis from restaurants nationwide—ranging from faithful traditional versions to inventive variations featuring ingredients like za'atar, pineapple amaro, pickled okra, matcha, and even anchovy-fat-washed vodka. Rather than prescribing one correct way to make a martini, the collection demonstrates that the drink's enduring appeal lies in its flexibility as a canvas for seasonal ingredients, local flavors, and bartender creativity.

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