Why You Should Be Making Your Gibson Martinis With Gin

We're living through a martini renaissance. The classic cocktail has proliferated on menus at bars all over and in many forms, from dry with a twist to the beloved espresso martini. One specific variety appeals to fans of the classic dirty martini with its Old World charm and slightly savory flavor profile — the Gibson, which swaps the classic olive with a pungent pickled onion.. Though there's a lot of free-wheeling experimentation within the martini realm, especially when it comes to the eternal gin-versus-vodka debate, there is one hard and fast rule to observe: Your Gibson should definitely be made using gin.

There's a misconception that gin is simply flavored vodka, when in actuality, gin by definition has certain requirements that distinguish it, such as that it must be distilled with juniper. Vodka is supposed to be neutral, thus digressing from distinct flavor and, therefore, from gin. This botanical, herbaceous quality that gin possesses makes it the one and only spirit for a Gibson. The cocktail onion imbues the drink with a subtle brine and umami flavor that is handsomely complemented by gin's baseline juniper flavor, a flavor that also meshes well with the tart, herb-forward qualities of the Gibson's other ingredient, dry vermouth.

Although the Gibson is a simple cocktail to prepare at first glance, there are several choices to be made before embarking on this classic sipper. First things first, you need to decide on your gin. Our ranking of 15 popular brands put Beefeater Gin at the top of the list for its versatility and range of botanicals, though through research and taste-testing, your palate may guide you elsewhere.

Besides your choice of gin, the cocktail onion is another spot for experimentation and palate-based tweaking. There are many splendid jarred varieties of cocktail onions, as well as booze-soaked "tipsy" options and dressed-up alliums, such as jalapeño-stuffed cocktail onions. Or if you'd like to play up the flavor of the gin by way of the garnish, try making your own juniper-pickled cocktail onions at home. All you'll need is to do is to add crushed juniper berries to your pickling mix to let the Gibson dance begin.