SKYY Spirits News

A Survey of Bartenders from Jean-Marc XO, The World’s Finest Vodka

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (April 21, 2008) — Consider the martini. When Ian Fleming wanted the world to know that James Bond was a man of remarkable style, he made him a martini drinker – and a persnickety one, at that. While the origins of the cocktail are murky, one story holds that the first man to try the drink was mega-rich John D. Rockefeller at the then-posh Knickerbocker Hotel in 1910 New York. In fact, the very shape of its glass – designed to keep the drink cool by keeping one’s hands on the stem – has become a symbol of sophistication and elegance.

No cocktail imparts quite the level of luxury as the finest martini; nor is there quite so much discussion of exactly how the very best ones should be made. To get the expert angle on this inimitable cocktail, the makers of Jean-Marc XO® Vodka, called by connoisseurs the finest vodka ever made, decided to ask 100 bartenders at top clubs and restaurants across the country on what makes a great martini… a great martini.

Here’s what they said:
• The Modern Martini – Ian Fleming changed martini-making forever back in the 60’s when James Bond announced his preference for vodka. Gin was the original martini spirit. Overwhelmingly, the bartenders who responded to the Jean-Marc XO survey said they vast majority of the drinks they make are created with vodka (90%), followed by gin..
• Shaken or Stirred – does it make a difference? Yes, it does, according to the experts: 58% of respondents said shaking is the only way to create the ideal martini. Just 16% prefer their martinis stirred, while 22% believe there’s really no difference. Anthony Dias Blue, writing in The Complete Book of Spirits, notes that shaking is especially favored by those who “relish the vibrant shimmer of tiny ice particles floating on top of the elegant drink.” Experts recommend at-home bartenders “shake for 20 seconds” for best results.
• How dry? When asked to describe how they use the vermouth, 38% reported that they coat the glass and pour out the remainder; 39% said they leave it in the bottom of the glass. How much is enough? As noted, for 38%, it’s “a coating,” for another 20%, it’s “a few drops,” for 11%, it’s “a whisper,” and for 8%, it’s a half-ounce or more. Sixteen percent say they don’t use any vermouth at all. Salon.com may have the most creative suggestion for adding the vermouth: fill a small perfume mister with vermouth and use it to spritz the glass with a fine mist.
• The Classic Martini Glass – was designed not just for elegance, but to keep the hands away from the cocktail and thus keep it colder. Seventy-one percent of the bartenders in the JMXO survey underscore the importance of serving the cocktails icy cold: they always serve the drinks in chilled glasses. Of them, half prefer to use a refrigerator (52%) to keep the glasses cold, while the other half (48%) actually store their glasses on ice.
• Not on the Rocks – 90% of the bartenders report that their customers are purists, preferring their cocktails straight up, while just 6% say they serve most of their martinis on the rocks.
• The Final Flourish – When it comes to the garnish, 76% of the bartenders prefer to use the ubiquitous olive; 11% the lemon twist; 6% a lime twist; 4% a bleu cheese stuffed olive; 1% an orange slice. Purists may cringe, but when asked about the most unusual garnishes they’ve ever encountered a variety came to mind including: cucumber (5%), starfruit (4%), basil (3%), anchovy (3%) carrot (2%), pickle (2%), rosemary (2%), jalapeno-stuffed olives (1%) and a variety of flowers.

For more than a century, the martini has been a cocktailing icon, and on one issue virtually every bartender can agree: the one essential requirement for a perfect cocktail of any kind is the quality of the ingredients used to make it. Describing the brand as “superlative…one of the most remarkable vodkas we’ve ever seen…a must-try that is truly unique,” the Beverage Tasting Institute recently awarded Jean-Marc XO Vodka an unprecedented score of 97 Points, solidifying its reign as the finest, most-exclusive vodka in the world today. T

The Jean-Marc XO taste sensation is distinctive. Its floral bouquet tantalizes the nose. On the palate, it is complex & elegant with warm wheat flavors, a silky texture and an exceptionally long finish.

We humbly suggest it for the most sublime of all martinis – even passing muster with modern-day Mr. Bond’s.

About Jean-Marc XO Vodka
Handcrafted by Master Distiller Jean-Marc Daucourt in the Cognac region of France, award-winning Jean-Marc XO marries cutting edge French spirits and winemaking techniques to create an extraordinary vodka possessing a floral bouquet, complex and elegant wheat flavors, a silky texture and very long finish. To achieve this perfection, Jean-Marc XO is distilled nine times in very small batches in French copper Alambic stills. Jean-Marc XO is the only vodka to ever to receive the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. Please enjoy responsibly.

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