The California Town That Claims To Have Invented The Martini

During the Gold Rush, imbibers worldwide happened to proverbially "strike gold" thanks to the ingenuity of one California bartender. Before it was called the Martini, it was the Martinez, and it was created as a substitute for champagne in the eponymous city of Martinez, California (talk about a "fun fact").

Per the lore, the year was 1849, and the California Gold Rush was in full swing. One day, a miner struck it rich and stopped by a bar in Martinez for a celebratory glass of champagne on his way back to San Francisco. In lieu of champagne (which the bar did not stock), the bartender whipped him up a dupe he called the "Martinez Special" — or so goes the story. The miner "dug" the drink so much (pun intended) that upon his return to 'Frisco he ordered a "Martinez Special," according to the official City of Martinez website. Like the California Gold Rush itself, good news travels fast, and the drink soon accrued an avid fanbase.

The Martinez is a Martini variation and considered the predecessor to the classic cocktail. A Martinez comprises equal parts Old Tom gin and sweet vermouth, plus maraschino liqueur and a dash of bitters, wet-shaken and strained. It's a pretty far cry from the Martini that imbibers know today (chilled gin with a hint of dry vermouth, maybe a dash of bitters or olive brine). Also notably, Martinis are typically stirred and can be made with either gin or vodka, whereas the Martinez is shaken and solidly gin-based.

Less of a well-known destination than Los Angeles, Koreatown, or Topanga Canyon, Martinez is one of California's oldest cities. With a population of just over 35,000, this relatively small Northern California town has made a big splash in the spirits world. Today, the invention of the Martinez (later evolved to the Martini) remains a source of pride for its namesake birthplace. There has even been a low-key legal battle between the city courts of Martinez and the courts of San Francisco over official rulings as to the definitive location of the drink's birthplace. 

Indeed, a recipe for a Martini appears in Jerry Thomas' seminal "The Bartender's Guide", which was published in 1862 and reprinted in 1887. At the time, Thomas was slinging drinks at The Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, further confusing the exact timeline and location of the drink's creation. Either way, in 1992, a commemorative plaque was dedicated at 911 Alhambra Avenue in Martinez (an approximate location, as no bar currently stands at the address) detailing the invention story. Quoth the plaque: "On this site in 1874, Julio Richelieu, bartender, served up the first martini when a miner came into his saloon with a fistful of nuggets and asked for something special. He was served a 'Martinez Special.' After three or four drinks, however, the 'Z' would get very much in the way" (via Read the Plaque).