Better with age: Your tastes do mature

How often have you been lured to the mahogany to order what someone else was drinking - a cocktail that looked enviable or, at least, seemed to make the imbiber look enviable? The dry Martini has that knack. The most cantankerous and ill-behaved have sipped this toothsome concoction, which somehow transformed them into witty writers and sly secret agents. So, like most, you were certain that even this cocktail could be as welcoming as mother's milk spiked with whatever you weren't supposed to have - you just didn't expect it to take several years of occasional doggedness to appreciate its medicinal taste.

Of course, you're not alone. While in my early 20s, the movie Blaze, with Paul Newman as an adventurous Southern politician, hit the big screen. Even back then, I easily fixated on the cultural quirks of the States before the '50s, so I was enamored of the scenes from this otherwise forgettable flick. The image of Paul Newman pouring himself whiskey in a sizable, low tumbler with just a few oversized ice cubes was a turning point for me. As I watched the ice melt into the amber spirit on the screen, I became certain that I had to be a whiskey drinker. I decided to start with what I still consider the best: scotch on the rocks. I purchased a bottle of Chivas for the occasion of Thanksgiving, and made plans to spend the evening with good friends. I knew that Chivas was a top-shelf, 12-year-old blended scotch, but that was all. The gathering's hostess had a tumbler that was the spitting image of the one used in Blaze. I filled it with ice, added a pony of Chivas, and then topped it with a splash of water. I took one sip, scowled, tossed the drink down the sink, and joined everyone else for Margaritas.

It was several years before I tried scotch on the rocks again. Even then I took the long approach, but at least my experience of the spirit was more memorable - partly because I was so surprised that I hadn't liked it before. Of course, I still dislike the taste of Chivas and other light-bodied scotches, but Johnnie Walker, Cluny, and other more rounded scotches suit my tastes.

Interestingly enough, most of us seem to accept that our tastes change over the years, but we usually only think of the time between childhood and adulthood, forgetting that the time from the early '20s on past the '30s can be just as long, with occasional flashbacks to the Tootsie Rolls of our childhood. That's why it's important to occasionally circle the drinks that pique your interest, if not initially your taste.

Granted, such things as climate may influence your appreciation for a particular drink. Wisconsin, for instance, just isn't the place to enjoy Mai Tais, and Florida isn't the spot for Irish Coffees. Those of us living in towns like San Francisco are fortunate to have weather that lets us justify almost any type of drink any time of the year. Those of you who live in places with distinct seasons should choose two to four cocktails that you can ceremoniously switch to with each solstice. The general rule of thumb here is that the darker the spirit, the colder the weather. But as with any rule, there are exceptions - like the Russians and Poles who drink their icy vodka in winter, and the Southerners who insist on Mint Juleps in May.

If you're determined to like the Martini, start with one of its lighter versions, such as the sweet or the wet, or add water to the drink. "Lighter" means starting with the desired spirit and experimenting with mixers until you find one that makes the drink palatable. A Gin and Tonic with bitters is the perfect link to becoming a Martini drinker. Just slowly add less and less tonic, until you're nearly drinking straight gin - then introduce the vermouth. On those days you're really thirsty, you can always revert back to the standard Gin and Tonic. Just don't decide that "lighter" means substituting vodka for the Martini's gin. Those who drink vodka Martinis really only like the idea of sipping Martinis, not the actual drink. Besides, in my 10 years tending the mahogany, I honestly can't recall one vodka Martini drinker. As a group, these drinkers are dull and unwavering in their tastes, which reveals - at least to a bartender - a lack of awareness of one's surroundings. The fellow who saunters in, sits on "his" stool, and orders the exact same thing regardless of the day, the weather, or the time is not respected by the staff, but merely tolerated as long as he keeps to himself. That's not what you're trying to achieve. Instead, let your choices and drink evolution demonstrate a sensitivity for and a growing knowledge of spirits. Sooner or later, you'll find the right day for the Martini or other classic that you haven't quite learned to appreciate.