Stir ingredients with cracked ice and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with either a lemon zest or an olive. If a black olive is used, the drink is called a Buckeye Martini; if an onion is used, it's called a Gibson. A dry Martini with a dash to 1/4 ounce of scotch is a smoky Martini, and one with a splash of olive brine is a dirty Martini.

Other traditional Martini recipes include the dry, the wet, and the sweet. A variation The Alchemist doesn't recommend: Substitute vodka for gin. A variation he does recommend: the Martinez.