These days it’s nearly impossible to find a good martini. And it’s all James Bond’s fault. He popularized the vodka martini and gin became as unhip as a handlebar mustache.

Cocktails, like clothes, are as much governed by fashion as they are by taste, so I am pleased to report, that the classic martini, “the elixir of quietude,” as E.B. White called it, is making a comeback. And here’s how to make it the modern gentleman way—something even your bartender might not know. Start with pouring four parts gin to one part dry vermouth into an ice-filled martini shaker. Then shake that sucker until it’s cold enough to kill a dog—or until your thumb sticks to the metal of the shaker.

Set it down for thirty seconds. Then shake it again. The secret of the perfect martini is temperature. Shaking it vigorously will give it those delightful shards of ice that gently float on top of the liquid when you pour it in a glass. A chilled glass is another essential, one that has been rinsed with water and consigned to your freezer for no less than five minutes. Add a garnish, olives, pearl onions, or my preference: a lemon twist that helps induce the sublime aroma and taste of the gin’s natural botanicals.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, don’t use one of those vulgar Big Gulp martini glasses that are ubiquitous in trendy bars. Your martini glass should be small, in the neighborhood of no more than a few ounces. The truly "old school" bartenders will pour a couple ounces into your chilled glass, and leave the rest in a small shaker or beaker on ice for you to pour into your own glass as you drink. It's sad that something so right, is so rare.