NYC’s famed Knickerbocker Hotel hosts year-long tribute to the cocktail it invented

Times Square is about to be shaken, not stirred.

The historic Knickerbocker Hotel is paying a year-long tribute to the iconic cocktail with martini ice cream, a martini rooftop garden,“martinis on demand” and “masterclasses” on the mixed drink.

The “Year of the Martini” comes almost a century after legendary Italian mixologist Martini de Arma di Taggia is said to have perfected the dry martini – with a 50/50 ratio of dry gin to dry vermouth — at the hotel bar.

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The celebrated recipe made The Knickerbocker the epicenter of the dry martini craze from 1907 to 1920, and drew luminaries like author F. Scott Fitzgerald and opera singer Enrico Caruso, according to Scott Case, the hotel manager at The Knickerbocker.

Today, tableside martini carts in the hotel’s fourth-story Martini Lounge offer guests di Taggia’s original recipe, complemented by Chef Adam Raksin’s caviar-topped martini bite.

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Martini enthusiasts are also able enjoy the cocktail eight stories up at St. Cloud Rooftop, which has been transformed into a pop-up garden inspired by popular martini garnishes, including lemon and olive trees and rosemary bushes.

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As part of a “Martini World Tour” in partnership with fellow Leading Hotels of the World properties, hotels from around the globe will bring their own version of the martini to The Knickerbocker during “masterclasses” open to the public in the hotel bar.

The inaugural class commenced with celebrated author and cocktail historian David Wondrich, who paved the way for six subsequent classes hosted by diverse international experts throughout the year.

“No other cocktail has such a firm grip on society or culture as the martini does, and every generation is flocking to quintessential New York City bars to indulge in the very best this city has to offer. The martini, like The Knickerbocker itself, is a classic and iconic piece of history that has reimagined itself as a landmark in today’s society,” said Case.

“In dedicating ourselves to the ‘Year of the Martini,’ we aim to create memorable moments for our guests that celebrate both our unique history and our place in today’s sophisticated cocktail scene,” Case continued.

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