I do not accept anything without gin as its main ingredient as a martini. It's one of my favorite things to argue. So low-stakes.

Not low stakes for you to speak Truth!

I'm also not a fan of the "wave the gin bottle in the general direction of Italy" school of thought. That's just an excuse to get drunk on gin while trying to look sophisticated by drinking it from a fancy glass. The vermouth is essential.

Magic happens when gin combines with dry vermouth. Something cosmic, something alchemical. A whole greater than the sum of its parts.