This is a fantastic, efficient and high-quality way to prepare an excellent martini.

It is sometimes referred to as a ‘direct’ martini because it is poured directly from the bottle into the glass. It is also sometimes referred to as a ‘freezer’ martini because that is the crucial piece of equipment that cools the drink to the correct temperature.

For me though, it is always referred to as the DUKES style, because that is where it was perfected, showcased and indeed where I was introduced to the entire concept.

It’s my favourite way to prepare a martini. It’s also easy to do at home – although don’t pass up the opportunity to experience the real thing because DUKES Bar in London is gorgeous!

The Venue

DUKES bar, part of Dukes Hotel in St. James’s, London, is a site of alcohol history and even pilgrimage.

Its previous patrons have included Sir Ian Fleming (he reportedly came up with the ‘shaken not stirred’ preference of his character James Bond at the venue) as well as various celebrities and even royals (Princess Diana was said to have a permanent table reservation for afternoon tea).

It’s akin to an American Bar but with a decidedly Old World style. It is distinguished in its Britishness, but with beautiful Italian polish. It exudes sophistication and charm, quality and attentiveness, and is neither stuffy nor pretentious. It’s simply excellent, not least because of the martinis poured by the professional staff.

And there’s something about the way they make their martinis that changed the game for all of us.

How to Make a DUKES Martini

It will never truly be a DUKES Martini unless you are comfortably ensconced at the bar itself, but to try and replicate it at home you simply store your bottle of gin or vodka in the freezer for at least six hours to cool it down to a nice, frosty consistency. Store your V-shaped martini glasses in there for the same period of time.

The gin/vodka should be oily in texture when it’s cold enough and a nice frost should appear on the bottle when it’s been out of the freezer for a few seconds.

Meanwhile, store your vermouth in the fridge. Not only does this keep it nice and cold but vermouth should always be kept refrigerated after the bottle has been opened or it will go off.

I would normally serve the martini with fresh lemon peel as a garnish as well. You can certainly have olives if you prefer but DUKES always have incredible lemons, usually from Amalfi so they feel more appropriate to me.

I serve olives on the side instead. As ever, though, martinis are down to personal preference. Try out the classic DUKES style and improvise to your taste once you’ve given it a few goes.

So here’s how to do it:

You will need

• A bottle of gin or vodka
• A bottle of vermouth

• A fresh lemon (or olives with a toothpick if you prefer)
• V-shaped martini glasses (ideally around 100-130ml / 3.4 – 4.4 US fluid ounces in volume)
• A fridge freezer
• A peeler
• A sharp knife

Laying the Groundwork

Pouring the DUKES Martini is probably the fastest method to prepare a classic but you need to make some small preparations in advance.

• Put your martini glasses into the freezer alongside a bottle of gin or vodka (whichever you prefer).
• Put your vermouth in the fridge.
• I would recommend having them in there for at least six hours to cool down – particularly the gin/vodka.
• Bring any fresh lemons to room temperature and gently wash them if they have been waxed.
• Get everything else in order like your lighting, music, food and of course, guests where applicable.

The Pour

• When it’s time to serve the martinis, take out the glass, the vermouth and your gin/vodka.
• Take a strip of lemon peel, then very gently squeeze, bend and twist it into the glass to express the lemon oil over the surface.
• You can also rub the lemon around the inside of the glass, the rim and even the stem so the fresh citrus aroma surrounds the glass like a glowing aura during your drinking experience.

• The next stage is optional but I like to trim the lemon peel so it’s neat and doesn’t take up too much room in the drink as a garnish. I don’t bother making it fancy.
• Add vermouth to the glass according to your preference. The DUKES style is to only add a few drops as standard but they, and you, can adjust the amount to suit your preference. Around 2-15ml or 0.5-3 teaspoons is fairly common. You can start with a small amount and add more drops if you find the drink too dry, although note that while it might taste particularly dry in the first sip, the sensation can mellow within a few minutes. Be patient until you work out your preference. You should also be prepared for your preferences to change over time.
• Top up the glass with your oily-cold gin or vodka. This should be around 80-120ml or 3-4 US fluid ounces, depending on the glass you are using and your personal preferences.

• Use the lemon peel to stir then place it in the drink as a garnish.
• Serve immediately, ideally with bites on the side.
• If you prefer olives to lemon, simply omit the lemon peel stage of the recipe, skewer your olive(s) onto a toothpick and place them into the drink just before serving.

The attentive staff at DUKES bar keep you topped up with delicious snacks and nibbles so you might want to replicate the experience with your own at home. Try some of these for example.

Controlling the ratio

At DUKES they serve the vermouth from a bitters bottle which allows for a lot more control of the volume of vermouth. You can serve it according to the number of drops you prefer. This means it it very easy to make your martini very dry, even bone dry, if that is your preference.

The History of the DUKES Martini

For the origins of this style (and indeed many aspects of martini lore) I recommend consulting the excellent book “Shaken not Stirred” by Martini Olympians Anistatia R. Miller and Jared M. Brown. They have been studying martinis for years and are the number one source of martini history in the world.

The Freezer Method

According to their research Giuseppe Cipriani documented using the freezer technique in his 1978 book “L’angelo dell’Harry’s Bar’.

The Maestro and the Journalist

However, it was 1985 when Salvatore Calabrese used the technique for the first time in DUKES. He served the now famous style to US journalist Stanton Delaplane who wrote about and popularised the drink the very next day.

Delaplane liked his martini very cold and very dry and kept challenging Salvatore to make it colder and drier each time.

Salvatore, a dedicated professional, who invented the Breakfast Martini during his tenure at the Lanesborough Hotel some years later, realised that he could better control the dryness of the martini by storing the vermouth in a bitters bottle and the spirits and glassware in the freezer.

Upon serving Delaplane with his enhanced drink the feedback was, for the first time, nothing.

The journalist was silent.

It truly was an elixir of quietude. He ordered a second and then returned to the bar the next day with the article he had written on the drink in the San Francisco Chronicle, describing it as the best martini he’d ever had.

The Legacy Today

What follows is probably a myriad of stories, legends and histories, involving numerous people over the years, but the style and technique remains largely the same.

The baton of stewardship of this great bar has passed on from Calabrese and has been steadily carried by Alessandro Palazzi for several years. His attentive care and the playful glint of his watchful eye ensures that everyone is being well looked after.

Shaken or stirred?

DUKES may be the venue where Sir Ian Fleming decided that Bond would provocatively rebel against convention and order his martinis shaken not stirred, but the bar does neither when it serves the drink. They pour their freezer-cold gin straight into a frozen glass. A stroke of genius for me, and one of the most life-altering discoveries of my existence. I rarely, rarely shake or stir a martini with ice now, and even if I do, it never tastes as good to me.

But before I close the subject, I would like to say that shaking or stirring the drink is not wrong. It is not bad. Some people like one way or the other and martinis truly come down to personal preference.

However, for me, it involves an extra step in the process, it weakens the drink, it makes it watery and I feel like it lacks the almost spiritual smoothness that the DUKES pour radiates.

As such, it’s the style that I will continue to worship in the sacred ceremony of the martini. Please raise a glass to Mr. Calabrese for his innovation, and his successor, the Keeper of the Quaich Mr. Palazzi for keeping the magic alive. Thank you for everything.

Saluti!