Nouveau Martini Milestones Recipe

Chill the glass

Place a large ice cube or fill the martini/coupe glass with ice and set aside to chill while you build the cocktail.

Measure and pour

Using a jigger, pour 2.0 oz gin, 0.5 oz dry vermouth, 0.25 oz elderflower liqueur, 0.5 oz white grape juice, and 0.25 oz fresh lemon juice into a mixing glass or shaker.

Add bitters and ice

Add 2 dashes of orange bitters to the mixing glass, then fill the mixing glass with large ice to just above the liquid level.

Stir gently

Using a bar spoon, stir the mixture for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 rotations) until well-chilled and slightly diluted. If you prefer a slightly more aerated character, shake for 8–10 seconds instead — note this will produce a brighter, slightly cloudy appearance.

Prepare to strain

Discard the ice from the chilled serving glass and rim lightly with the lemon peel oils by running the peel around the glass lip.

Double strain into glass

Using a Hawthorne strainer and, optionally, a fine-mesh strainer, pour the chilled cocktail into the prepared martini or coupe glass to remove small ice chips and any pulp from the lemon juice.

Express the lemon twist

Take the lemon twist and hold it over the cocktail with the peel side facing the surface. Give it a firm twist to express the citrus oils onto the drink, then run the peel along the rim and drop it into the glass.

Add herbal accent and gold leaf

Gently slap the thyme or rosemary sprig between your hands to release aroma and rest it on the drink's surface or the glass edge. If using edible gold leaf, carefully place a very small flake onto the surface of the cocktail with tweezers for a milestone-worthy finish.

Serve

Present immediately while cold. Suggest serving with a small card noting the milestone or memory being celebrated; the cocktail is designed to be elegant, balanced, and celebratory.

Rinse and dry bar tools promptly. Wipe any gold leaf residue carefully from tweezers and keep peelers and jiggers clean for next service.