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DrinkBoy
 
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Dan,

What you have essentially "re-discovered" in discovery that you like a
"very wet martini, 2 or 3 parts gin to 1 part vermouth", is what is
essentially the "original" dry Martini.

It is the common misconception that the "dry" in "dry Martini" refers
to the lessening the amount of dry vermouth used. This is in fact
incorrect, and is most likely due to Americans forgetting what a
Martini really was through the course of Prohibition (aka. The Great
Cocktail Lobotomy).

Originally, not only was the Martini made with far more vermouth then
you would find most people familiar with today, but it was also
originally made with sweet vermouth, as well as a sweet gin (known as
"Old Tom"). This means that if a customer would rather have their
Martini made with dry vermouth and dry gin (both newcomers in the mid
to late 1800s), they would request a "dry Martini". It would still be
made with basically the same ratios as a normal Martini, which usually
meant a 3 to 1, 2 to 1, or even 1 to 1 ratio. And it would also always
include bitters, usually orange bitters.

A cocktail should be a "balance" of ingredients. The ratios of each
flavor should be carefully selected so that no single ingredient plays
a prodomiant role in the drink. Just using a "whisper" of vermouth in a
Martini does not result in a "balanced" drink, it essentially leaves
you with just a cold glass of gin (or vodka).

So I'm glad that in your own experimentations that you have discovered
this truth for yourself!

-Robert