The Chocolate Martini is an interesting member of our motley ‘tini crew this month, as it claims roots in the postwar era. The possibly apocryphal story is that Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor invented it on the set of Giant (1956), which is a stunning movie that was filmed mostly in Marfa, Texas. The sweet vodka-based concoction was adopted by the ‘tini craze in the ‘80s and ‘90s and it’s still ordered in bars today by lovers of dessert drinks.

The only thing that’s French about a French Martini is Chambord. The black raspberry liqueur produced in the Loire Valley for centuries. The French Martini combines it with a vodka base and pineapple juice and it originated at Pravda in the mid-nineties, introduced to the world by famous bartender Dale DeGroff. It tastes like grandma candy that features unidentifiable flavors but is actually really delicious.

What can one say about this absolute juggernaut of a drink? Though it was invented by Dick Bradsell in 1990s London, it has had a second life in recent years. There are a great many ways to make one, and countless variations proffered by today’s bartenders, but I designed this one to be almost identical to Bradsell’s original spec, with a couple slight changes. I increased the syrup and opted to use vanilla syrup and I added just a touch of saline to enhance the drink’s flavors.

This drink is the only one of this month’s recipes that was invented after the turn of the twenty-first century. It was invented in 2002 by bartender Douglas Ankrah. Originally called the Maverick Martini after a gentleman’s club Ankrah frequented in Cape Town, the drink combined vanilla vodka, passion fruit liqueur and passionfruit purée, and vanilla syrup, with a little glass of prosecco on the side. Since its inception, it has remained very popular in the U.K. and beyond.