In its original recipe, the Martinez is built with a larger measure of sweet vermouth than gin. This curiosity serves as an interesting example of how ingredients change over time. What may have tasted good then is far too cloying with today's ingredients, leading the proportions of gin to vermouth to evolve to what it is today.

Modern recipes for the Martinez often call for Old Tom gin, a spirit that has been sweetened with sugar. We prefer to 'buy back' control over the drink's sweetness by using a traditional (which is to say: unsweetened) gin, and adding in the sweetness ourselves.