The Oxford English Dictionary long maintained that the Martini cocktail derived its name from Martini & Rossi vermouth; however the first mentions of the drink in print date back to well before the famed firm was founded in Turin, Italy in 1863. No matter—the two have become synonymous thanks to Martini’s mastery of the ultimate aperitif; and though these days all sorts of vermouths have crept their way into martini glasses, none have the potent blend of pedigree, purity and prestige of the Italian original. Even James Bond chose it for his shaken-notstirred vodka variation in 1962’s Dr. No.
Martini & Rossi, which recently celebrated its 160th anniversary with a suitably stylish, star-studded soirée in Milan where guests included actress Dakota Johnson and mega-influencer Chiara Ferragni, as any Fellini film.
