UK National Martini Day

To celebrate National Martini Day on Wednesday, some of London's finest bartenders and most skilled mixologists have been showing off their innovative and classic takes on the popular cocktail.

[File photo: VCG]

Grey Goose Global Ambassador Joe McCanta says it's a day to celebrate Martinis and the bartenders' skills.

"World Martini day started, I think five or six years ago to my knowledge, but it only really recently has become a bigger and bigger event each year. And it's a great time to stop and look at one of the world's most iconic cocktails and celebrate it. You know, it's a cocktail that has inspired books and inspired films, you know? Some of the world's best bartenders pride themselves on how they make their martini cocktail. "

And the day couldn't end without asking the question every martini drinker wants to know: should you ask for your martini shaken or stirred?

According to McCanta, if you are going to drink your martini fast like James Bond you should have it shaken.

"Because when you shake a martini all the ice is moving around and that flakes off into little ice kind of flakes and that makes the drink super cold immediately afterwards. But as the drink sits, it will, there's a lot more water in the drink and more dilution. So, the drink gets warmer and warmer much faster."

But on the other hand, if you want to savor your drink, a stirred martini cocktail will stay much colder, much longer.