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The Wolfram cocktail was fathered by bartender Joe Gilmore in 1990. Gilmore created the Wolfram cocktail to honor the election of John Wolff as Chairman of the London Metal Exchange. "Wolfram" is another name for the element tungsten because it is found in wolframite ore.

Joe Gilmore was in charge of the American Bar at The Savoy Hotel in London and was famous for creating drinks that honored celebrities. Gilmore mixed drinks at private gatherings that were held at The Savoy Hotel for five generations. He invented drinks for the Royal Family, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Neil Armstrong.

The Wolfram cocktail's key ingredient is Wolfschmidt Kummel liqueur, which is a fixture in many golf club bars. Wolfschmidt Kummel is a popular "after dinner" liqueur that gives this cocktail its metallic, slightly pungent taste.

To mix a Wolfram cocktail you will need a cocktail shaker and a cocktail strainer. Fill half of the cocktail shaker with ice. Combine 1-2 drops of Dry Vermouth, 1 shot glass of Wolfschmidt Kummel, 1 shot glass of gin, and a splash of lemon juice. Shake this mixture until you feel the shaker chilling in your hand and then strain it in to a glass.

A "dirty Wolfram" has olive or onion juice splashed in to the strained mixture. Keep in mind that the less Dry Vermouth a cocktail has, the "drier" it will be. Use your well gin unless if the customer requests a specific brand; you don't want the gin's flavoring to overpower the dose of Wolfschmidt Kummel.

The Wolfram cocktail is traditionally served "straight up", or without ice in a six ounce martini glass. If the customer wants her Wolfram cocktail "on the rocks" then it should be served over ice in a rocks glass, which also averages 5 to 6 ounces.

If the person ordering a Wolfram cocktail is a woman, it is commonly served in a chilled martini glass. If the customer is male then the drink is customarily offered in a rocks glass. Some bartenders opt to rub a lemon slice around the rim of the glass before serving it to the customer. Others garnish this drink with onions or a lemon or lime wedge.

The Wolfram cocktail recipe is similar to the James Bond Vesper martini. It is generally well received by anyone who prefers dry gin martinis.

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