History On The Rocks is Goya’s cocktail series in partnership with Smitha Menon. Here, we explore the often-unknown origin story behind our favourite classic cocktails. We will also be bringing you a modern take on the classic, from some of our favourite bars in the country. This week, the martini.

James Bond had it wrong. A martini should not be shaken.

In its simplest form, a martini contains gin and vermouth, a dash of bitter and garnished with olive or a twist. Apropos for being one of the most popular cocktails in the world, it’s history is shrouded in mystery. One story has it that a German musician, John Paul Aegius Schwartgendorf, emigrated to France and changed his name to Jean Paul Aegide Martini, and his favourite drink was a mixture of gin and white wine. This drink was so popular among French musicians, they called it Martini, and carried it with them to the United States. Another theory says bartender “Professor” Jerry Thomas, invented the drink at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, sometime in the late 1850s or early 1860s for a miner who was setting out to Martinez – the drink had gin, vermouth, bitters and Maraschino, and was called the “Martinez”.

Martini shot into the limelight in the late 1980s when Absolut, as part of a an advertising campaign, replaced gin as the base spirit.

Ian Fleming’s James Bond enjoyed a Vesper Martini in the earlier books before migrating to the more popular vodka martinis.

At Lupa, chef Manu Chandra’s wonderful restaurant in Bangalore, their Tableside Martini has a splash of tea vermouth to give it that extra edge.