The Vermouth Swap You Should Try To Amplify Your Next Martini

There's something about a martini that has an air about it. It's dry; it's clean; it's crisp. It packs a punch in the best way. And it's just plain classy.

While there are various theories about when and where the original martini was first poured, according to Difford's Guide, the name and written recipe for a martini first appeared in print in the late 1800s, and it's believed to be a descendant of the Martinez cocktail. The drink has continued to evolve, getting drier and drier over the years, into what we now know as the classic martini.

In its truest form, the classic cocktail is made up of gin and vermouth, usually with a choice of onion, lemon twist, or olive as a garnish. But you don't have to stick to the classic — the martini has variations you can choose to suit your liking. Wet, dry, shaken, stirred, dirty, with a twist. We know the gin can be swapped for vodka, but have you thought about swapping out the vermouth? If you like savory cocktails, you'll want to cheers this new martini order.

We don't think of sherry as a typical cocktail ingredient; when you hear it, you probably picture one of those tiny, fancy crystal glasses filled with a dark substance — a drink meant to be slowly sipped on its own, maybe over some after-dinner gossip. But its distinct flavors work surprisingly well in a balanced cocktail, and it's an easy swap for vermouth that can level up your martini experience.

Sherry, which hails from Spain, is a wine fortified with a spirit similar to vermouth (via Ever Wonder Wine). But where vermouth is a neutral grape wine fortified with alcohol and aromatized with added botanicals, sherry is produced only from the grapes themselves and is typically fortified with Brandy. Like vermouth, sherry can be dry or sweet, but while vermouth has an almost-medicinal quality, sherry ranges from having a salty or nutty to molasses and sweet fruit flavor.

Why use sherry instead of vermouth? It produces a more savory, nutty element to the cocktail for another layer of dimension that differs from the botanical-heavy, classic gin-and-vermouth combination. Chef Javier De La Hormaza of Basco says he prefers to swap out vermouth with dry sherry in a martini because "the result is way more interesting and provides the drink with a salty and yeasty finish, which works well with any dry gin." The sherry helps intensify the flavors, making for a bright, dynamic, sippable cocktail.

If you're going for that savory finish, the best type of sherry to use in your martini is a dry sherry made from the Palomino grape — so go for the Fino or Manzanilla varieties. That's because, as Sherry Wines explains, both of these dry wines are aged with a layer of yeast that settles on top, called the "veil de flor," which prevents oxidation while contributing to the unique characteristics of sherry.

Both sherries are dry, bright, and smooth with light acidity. While Fino is mainly marked by almond notes with hints of dough and herbs, Manzanilla is more floral in aroma with an aftertaste that's a tad bitter. Either will compliment a dry gin well to round out a martini, so it comes down to which flavor profile you prefer.

From there, it's just figuring out your ideal ratio of gin to sherry, depending on how dry or wet you like your martini. You can go for a 5-to-1 ratio of gin to sherry like this boozy, crisp Valencia Martini made with Fino, or a 2-to-1 ratio of gin to sherry like this Sherry Martini with your choice of Fino or Manzanilla. Try pairing your Spanish-inspired martini with some Spanish ham for a tasty garnish that'll amplify those salty flavors even more.