Who mixed the world’s first Martini? You could stumble down a very deep, dark rabbit hole trying to find out. Was it a California prospector during the 1849 Gold Rush or the barman at a flossy New York City hotel 50 years later? Both Martini origin stories hold water. Neither will leave you feeling as blissful and content as a well-made and classic Dry Martini.

Start with a good London-style gin. From there, add a little (not too much!) dry vermouth and dash of orange bitters. And despite the prissy demands of a certain fictional British spy, stir (don’t shake!) the hell out of it with ice and strain it into a glass named after the cocktail itself. Twist a lemon peel, and there you have it, a Dry Martini. It’s a drink worth getting to the bottom of.