Bombay Sapphire Distilled London Dry Gin, England

Call me an old fogey, but I’ll pass up one of those sour green apple martinis or the white chocolate version--ugh!--in favor of a classic. No, I don’t mean my father’s vodka martini but one made with Bombay Sapphire gin and a whisper of vermouth, straight up, with a twist. Now that’s a martini. It’s not about extraneous flavorings; it’s about tasting the gin.

Made from a recipe that goes back to 1761, Bombay Sapphire is subtly flavored with 10 botanical herbs from around the world: almonds and lemon peel from Spain, licorice from China, juniper berries and orris from Italy, angelica from Saxony, coriander from Morocco, cassia bark from Indonesia, cubeb berries from Java and grains of paradise from West Africa. Talk about a global spirit.

About $30. Widely available.