LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2025

MARTINI MASTER CLASS

Spirited Picks Gin is arguably the traditional Martini spirit, but premium vodka makes for crisp, icy sips as well.

WET OR DRY?

White vermouth is gin and vodka’s underrated, but essential, sidekick in a Martini. Because it’s made from wine, open bottles of vermouth should be refrigerated; white vermouth stays fresh for at least two weeks in the fridge. Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry AOC Dry LCBO 370858, $17.35 Martini Bianco Vermouth LCBO 218040, 1 L, $17.95

Georgian Bay Distillery Series 10th Anniversary Edition LCBO 33411, 700 mL, $44.90 Marking a decade of craft spirits, this small-batch gin from an Ontario pioneer distillery has vibrant spicy, herbaceous and evergreen notes worth a cele bratory toast.

Notaboo E.T.51 Premium Vodka LCBO 34672, $41.00 A Canadian fresh water source con- tributes to crystalline vodka with a smooth mouth feel and a fresh, clean finish.

Martin Miller Westbourne Strength Gin LCBO 44757, $49.95 Blended with Icelandic spring water, this English gin has a full-bodied style, which, combined with a slightly higher alcohol by volume (ABV) of 45.2 per cent, creates lush texture.

Zirkova One Ultra Premium Vodka LCBO 638197, $38.20 Ukraine is considered one of vodka’s birth places. This modern bottling combines wheat and rye for rich texture with hints of lemon grass.

Holiday ’Tini Vanilla, oranges, spice and everything else that’s nice get shaken into this Holiday Orange-Spiced Martini . Your choice of festive spices go right in the shaker, along with vanilla-scented vodka and flavourful modifiers that are alternatives to dry vermouth. Purchase or dehydrate your own orange-slice garnishes. Find recipe on p.160.

The Perfect Mix Discover your ultimate Martini ratio: start with five parts spirit to one part vermouth and experiment from there, add ing slightly more vermouth and stirring over ice for up to 1 minute. The 50:50 Martini with equal parts of both is a lower-alcohol option, too.

Lillet Blanc LCBO 322297, $20.00

A Vesper, James Bond’s original literary order, is a 6:2:1 ratio of gin, vodka and a vintage version of Lillet (Kina Lillet, which is no longer made).

Find more festive Martini recipes at LCBO.com/fdholiday25

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