Vodka Martini

Vodka Martini Story

When the Russian owners of Smirnoff sold the century-old company to an American businessman in the 1930s, the United States acquired a new base spirit to make cocktails with: vodka. The clear liquor’s mild flavor made it a popular substitute for classic gin-based cocktails. The Martini was no exception. Smirnoff popularized the concept of a “three Martini lunch” as part of a clever advertising campaign aimed at businessmen, encouraging their target demographic to drink up with the false assurance that vodka, unlike gin, left no trace on the breath.