In the immortal words of James Bond, “Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred.” It’s a drink order that appears in multiple 007 flicks. Not only does it sound cool, but it’s made the specific request feel like a thing of class and sophistication in popular parlance.
However, what those movie clips don’t show is the bartender’s eye roll when preparing the drink. A shaken Martini actually goes against a fundamental mixological rule that spirit-forward drinks don’t benefit from the aeration that shaking imparts. Rather than achieving a delicate mouthfeel and capturing the nuance of each liquid at work via stirring, shaking these cocktails often leaves them over-diluted, sharp, and potentially full of ice chips.
At the same time, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. And we are talking about the hospitality industry, one in which the customer should feel empowered to order whatever they want, free of judgement. All of which leads to the question: If a guest orders a shaken Martini out of cinematic convention, is it the bartender’s job to lead them down the path of perceived Martini enlightenment? We tapped 12 bartenders to find out.
Is it ever OK to ask For a Martini shaken, according to bartenders:
“It depends on the Martini. Shaking a Gin Martini doesn’t allow you to savor the synergy of botanicals like stirring does — it stresses out the gin. Now, with a straight Vodka Martini, you could probably use the extra dilution if you’re having that kind of night. Even if we’re thinking a little dirty, I still prefer that smooth feel of a stir.” —Rodrigo Pulido, beverage manager, elNico, Brooklyn
“Yes, it’s fine to ask for a Martini shaken. Some people like the “frothy” texture of a Martini and the layer of little ice chips. I agree, some Martinis are better that way! However, I think some are just trying to be James Bond and sound cool. I promise, the bartender made fun of Bond, too.” —Lindsay Palumbo, flair bartender, Circa Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
“No. Please don’t ask the bartenders at any of the bars where I preside to shake a Martini. And don’t ask them to change the music, either. A Martini that is shaken with several small room-temperature ‘sweaty’ machine-made ice cubes is typically a slushy abomination devoid of the texture and tasting notes that embodies the archetypical Martini. At Dutch Kills and The Gem, we shake our cocktails with one single, big, cold ice cube — straight out of the freezer with no surface melt on the ice. Shaking a Martini with that ice would yield a very cold but overly aerated drink with an abundance of ice crystals in the glass — thus eliminating the silky, glassy mouthfeel that a Martini should ideally present. By faithfully stirring our Martini, we achieve the desired result of balance, optimal temperature, and water content in tandem with ice that is colder than a witch’s tit in December.” —Richard Boccato, owner, Dutch Kills/Fresh Kills Bar/The Gem, New York
“I always say, ‘If you want your Martini shaken, that’s none of my business.’ I’ll do it, but it’s not my preference!” —Bobbi Adler, bartender, Shinji’s, New York
“It’s always OK to ask for something in general. As a bartender, I love to remove the stigma that you can’t ask me a question. I’m no better than you. But if you ask me to shake your Martini, I may ask you a couple questions.” —Lonnie Finley, spirits specialist and educator, Bar Keeper and I Drink I Can, Los Angeles
“I’m a bartender. The definition of my job is to give people a drink they want as they want it. I’m certainly not in the business of telling people how or what to drink, even if I disagree with them, so if someone decides to be a psychopath and asks for a shaken Martini, I’ll do it. I’ll just quietly judge them from afar.” —Alec Kossoff, bartender, Monkey Thief, New York
“If you want ducks in your pond, I’m happy to oblige. I don’t drink Dirty Martinis often, but when I do, I prefer mine shaken. At the end of the day, it’s just easier to give the people what they want.” —James O’Donnell, bar manager, Fives, New Orleans
“Shaken or stirred? The eternal question. It is 100 percent OK for a guest to order a Martini shaken, or any way they want. Why should a bartender care? It’s not traditional? Please. When a guest tells me how they will best enjoy their drink, I have a much better chance of giving them what they want. Jimi Hendrix played guitar with his teeth. I’d like to meet the musician version of a twisty mustache bartender that’s judging him.” —Eric “ET” Tecosky, owner, Dirty Sue, Atlanta
“It is absolutely OK to ask for a Martini shaken. It’s a preference of mine, but I like to ‘shake sh*t up.’ Customers see the ever so popular Espresso and Pornstar Martinis shaken, and don’t know the technical differences between those and a proper Martini. It’s our job as service industry drink providers to engage, educate, and give the guest the experience they choose and are paying for.” —Joseph D. Solis, CEO, Sol Hospitality Group and Maison Solís, Los Angeles
“I would say ‘yes,’ but only for a mid- to low-grade Vodka Martini, as the increased dilution and aeration that comes with shaking will make the Martini more enjoyable for your average drinker. However, with a higher-grade vodka, the goal of the Martini is to really enjoy the smoothness of the vodka and the subtle notes it provides, making stirring a better option. With gin, the more complex tasting notes can get hidden by the increased dilution and aeration, so stirred is always better.” —Jewel Martin, bartender, The Broadway, Boston
“The short answer is: yes. Drink any drink you like however you prefer it. That said, we mixology types have been trained to look down our noses at the shaken Martini, but there are plenty of people who order one and want to “ice skate” on it — shaken hard with a thin layer of ice chips floating on top. It’s really just a way of asking for an extra-diluted cocktail, which is a personal choice and perfectly fine way to drink it. For me, the only bad Martini is a warm one.” —Michael Neff, bar director, Brooklyn Gin Distillery Bar, Brooklyn
“Firstly, the customer is always right in our world, so they can have it shaken, stirred, or even upside down! But the reason that we usually don’t want a Martini shaken is that the shaking introduces micro bubbles which leads to a cloudy, flatter-tasting Martini. And if not properly strained, ice shards make it into the glass that lead to an inconsistent sipping experience.” —Devon Espinosa, beverage director, Andy’s, Los Angeles
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