The Cigarette Martini — Tigre, NYC (Esquire Best Bars, 2024)

From Tigre, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar on Rivington Street in the Lower East Side, NYC. Created by bar director William Elliott, this drink went viral and was named one of the best martinis in America by Esquire. Described as 'like you just kissed someone who was out for a smoke.'

Ingredients

• Empirical Spirits Charlene McGee1.5 oz
• Vodka1 oz
• Cap Corse Quinquina0.5 oz

Method

1. 1.Combine Charlene McGee, vodka, and Cap Corse in a mixing glass with ice.
2. 2.Stir for 30 seconds until very cold and properly diluted.
3. 3.Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora or coupe glass.
4. 4.No garnish — serve clean.

Notes

• Empirical Spirits Charlene McGee is a juniper-based spirit with smoky, tobacco-like notes — it's the soul of this drink. There is no real substitute.
• Cap Corse is a Corsican quinquina (bitter, aromatized wine) that adds floral-bitter complexity where dry vermouth would sit in a traditional martini.
• If Cap Corse is unavailable, Cocchi Americano is the closest substitute, though the flavor profile will shift.
• The vodka provides a clean, neutral backbone that lets the Charlene McGee and Cap Corse shine without competing botanicals.

Batch scaling

Common batch sizes for the The Cigarette Martini — Tigre, NYC (Esquire Best Bars, 2024). Want a different number? Open the calculator.

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