Happy Wednesday! I was originally going to write about skincare but decided to save that for next week. Swiftie’s album launch couldn’t go ignored and I figured what better way to celebrate it by doing a little collab with my signature cocktail.
The cool thing about The Tortured Poet’s Department (TTPD as I will call it the rest of the post) is that the old fashioned vibe pairs well with a martini, especially the prohibition era drinks I found. I also love a T-Swift lyric deep dive. Take a look at what pairs well with your Swifty song vibe!
Classic Dry Martini – “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”
“Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream
Who’s afraid of little old me?”
The classic dry martini (pick your poison of gin or vodka) is the one everyone knows. It’s probably the most famous of the martini family. The song has to do with Swift’s reputation and fame so I’m connecting it with the martini most in the public eye.
Ingredients: Gin or vodka, dry vermouth, an olive or lemon twist if desired.
Dirty Martini – “Clara Bow”
“You look like Stevie Nicks
In ’75, the hair and lips
Crowd goes wild at her fingertips
Half moonshine, a full eclipse”
I’m slightly biased here because this is my favorite song on the album and this is my favorite martini. But again, we’re relating a “famous” martini to a song about fame. Clara Bow is a famous actress and muse from the 1920s and I also wanted to link the dirty martini vibe to the old Hollywood style speakeasies.
Ingredients: Gin or vodka, dry vermouth, olive juice, olives
Espresso Martini – “The Manuscript”
“In the age of him, she wished she was thirty
And made coffee every morning in a French press”
I love that lyric. To be honest the espresso martini probably could have fit a couple different songs. I picked this one because of the obvious coffee lyric but also because the song has a lot to do with youthful innocence. An espresso martini is definitely a favorite of the younger crowd and it also gives everyone a caffeine boost when they need it on a long night out.
Ingredients: Vodka, coffee liquor, espresso, simple syrup or cream, coffee beans (garnish)
Vesper Martini – “Fortnight”
“I’ve been calling ya but you won’t pick up
‘Nother fortnight lost in America”
In England, a fortnight is 2 weeks. There is some speculation as to who this song is about but I suspect it’s about Joe. My little connection to the Vesper is that it was created by Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond. It was created for the fictional British icon and I thought the connection was uncanny. The song is about an affair (also a theme in Bond films). Drink it shanken, not stirred, if this is the era for you.
Ingredients: Gin, vodka, lillet blanc, lemon garnish
French Martini – “The Tortured Poet’s Department”
“You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith
This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots“
The French Martini was created in New York in the 1980s and made popular by the famous Balthazar restaurant. I linked this to Swift’s references to the famous Chelsea Hotel in New York. It is sort of a artsy looking drink that matches the mood of the song as she sings about creative icons and poetic artists.
Ingredients: Vodka, Chambord black raspberry liquor, pineapple juice
Chocolate Martini – “So High School”
“Are you gonna marry, kiss or kill me?”
The sweet love song about Travis Kelce goes to the sweet martini. I always think about being in high school or college and only liking sweet drinks. While I don’t drink these all that often, its nice to have a sweet treat once and awhile – just like on Taylor’s album!
Ingredients: Chocolate liqueur, Irish cream, vodka, chocolate drizzle
Cosmopolitan – “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
“Lights, camera, bitch smile, in stilettos for miles”
It’s hard for me to not think about Carrie Bradshaw a little when hearing this song and all the shit she went through Big while still being the New York “It” girl. At one point, Cosmos were super trendy and flashy, and of course, they’re her signature drink. Even down to the stiletto reference, this one fits.
Ingredients: Vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, cranberry juice, lemon garnish
Corpse Reviver No. 2 – “loml”
“If you know it in one glimpse, it’s legendary
You and I go from one kiss to getting married
Still alive, killing time at the cemetery
Never quite buried”
A Corpse Reviver was originally created as a sort of “hangover cure” to revive a dead person. The No. 2 is the most popular of the Reviver family. This is definitely one of my favorite songs on the album and in my opinion, one of the best written. The lyrics are obviously about one of her most recent love affairs (I’m honestly still not sure who) and trying to keep a romance alive. I liked the connection to reviving someone from the dead and the loss of a love.
Ingredients: Gin, lemon juice, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, dash of absinthe
Aviation – “The Albatross”
“Cross your thoughtless heart
Only liquor anoints you
She’s the albatross
She is here to destroy you”
While this isn’t a traditional martini, it is a great cocktail in a martini glass! The similarities between “aviation” and “albatross” stood out to me. The Aviation is a beautiful looking cocktail and an albatross is beautiful bird. Swift’s poetic connections in this song are so clever too. The girl knows her metaphors.
Ingredients: Gin, lemon juice, Maraschino liqueur, Creme de Violette
London Calling – “So Long, London”
“So long, London
You’ll find someone …“
I honestly had never heard of this martini before researching for this post but of course I had to use it considering the London connection with this song. It is a relatively newer cocktail, created in 2002, in London (obviously). I think of all the songs on TTPD it is most obvious this song is about Joe, and such a sad part two to “London Boy.” Regardless, this cocktail definitely sounds like one I’ll try in the future!
Ingredients: Gin, lemon juice, fino Sherry, sugar syrup, orange bitters
So what do you think? Sound accurate? From time to time I look forward to sharing more of my martini” insights with you all and this felt like the perfect opportunity. Hope you can enjoy one of these with some TTPD in the background. Cheers!
Martinis & Mascara 
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