This vodka and vermouth blend infused with bay leaves offers an elegant solution for entertaining. Prepare a batch ahead and refrigerate it for convenient serving throughout the week, making it ideal for gatherings or quiet evenings at home.
The inspiration behind this drink emerged from a desire to develop distinctive, uncomplicated cocktails suitable for advance preparation during hectic service periods, while maintaining sophistication and personality. Vodka serves as an excellent foundation for infusions due to its clean, neutral profile. Given the current resurgence of martini popularity, this recipe combines familiarity with originality, delivering something both approachable and distinctly individual.
What makes this infusion special?
Bay leaves bring a subtle herbal complexity to neutral vodka, creating depth that distinguishes this martini from standard versions. The infusion process requires patience—steeping the leaves for at least ten days allows their flavour to fully develop and integrate into the spirit. Once strained and stored properly, the infused vodka remains fresh in the refrigerator for up to a month, or indefinitely when frozen, making it practical for advance preparation.
This approach to cocktail creation reflects broader trends in hospitality, where pre-batched drinks allow venues to maintain quality and consistency while managing service demands efficiently. Similar innovation appears in other contemporary cocktail recipes, such as Society Manchester's Salford Fog, which combines gin with elderflower and earl grey syrup, demonstrating how infusions and flavour layering have become central to modern mixology.
How do you prepare the bay leaf infusion?
Begin by placing 20 grams of fresh bay leaves into 750 millilitres of vodka. Allow this mixture to steep undisturbed for a minimum of ten days, permitting the botanical flavours to extract fully. After the steeping period, carefully strain the infusion through fine muslin cloth into a clean bottle, seal it securely, and store it in the refrigerator. This prepared infusion will keep for up to one month when chilled, or almost indefinitely when frozen.
How do you batch-serve this cocktail?
To prepare enough for twelve to thirteen servings, combine 400 millilitres of the bay-infused vodka with 100 millilitres of dry white vermouth and 150 millilitres of chilled filtered water in a large, clean jug. Stir gently to blend the components evenly. When ready to serve, pour 50 millilitres of the prepared mixture into chilled mini-martini glasses and garnish each glass with a single unpitted green olive.
Key Facts
- The infusion requires a minimum ten-day steeping period for optimal flavour development
- Bay-infused vodka remains fresh in the refrigerator for up to one month or indefinitely when frozen
- A single batch yields twelve to thirteen servings, each using 50 millilitres of the prepared cocktail mix
- The recipe uses dry white vermouth and filtered water to balance the herbal intensity of the infused vodka
- Green olives provide the traditional martini garnish and complement the bay leaf's subtle botanical character
Recipe developed by Alex Mammone, general manager, and Matt Beardmore, executive chef, London SE1
