GIA BAB TAKES US THROUGH THE KETEL ONE MARTINI COCKTAIL ROUTE
What you order at the bar says more about you than you might think. Some cocktails are more than a drink: the Dirty Martini will always belong to Kris Jenner, and no one has managed to shake James Bond’s bond with the Vesper Martini. For generations, the martini cocktail has been a cultural icon: timeless, stylish, and deeply personal. From Dirty to Classic to Espresso, every variant tells a different story about the person holding the glass.
That is the premise behind the Ketel One Martini Cocktail Route, which runs throughout the entire month of June across 24 of Amsterdam's most acclaimed addresses. From intimate speakeasies to luxury hotel bars and restaurants — where the cocktail list is taken just as seriously as the menu — each venue is serving a specially curated Ketel One Martini Cocktail offering. Your order already says everything.
To bring that vision to life, we partnered with Ketel One and model Gia Bab for an exclusive editorial, shot at House of NŌA, one of the 24 addresses on the route, and a venue Gia knows well as its ambassador. Across three distinct settings within the iconic Amsterdam space, she embodies three martini cocktail archetypes that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has ever stood at a bar.
The Dirty Martini — at the bar, in white fringe. This is The Discerner. Bold, self-assured, with a clear point of view and a magnetic presence that needs no introduction. The Classic Martini — at the table, in deep burgundy. This is The Purist. Timeless, refined, effortless. The one who knows what lasts, sophisticated and understated to the core. And the Espresso Martini — in the lounge, in black leather under warm low light. This is The Insider. Always in the know, culturally fluent, socially connected, and unapologetically contemporary.
In Gia's words, “the person who orders a Dirty Martini knows exactly who they are. The Classic Martini drinker does not need to announce themselves. And the Espresso Martini? That one is already aware of what is next. Three cocktails. Three archetypes. What does yours say about you?”
The images reflect the way House of NŌA tends to make everything feel cinematic: layered, warm, and rich in texture. Gold-framed furniture, lacquered walls, and red lanterns provide the perfect backdrop for a well-made cocktail that feels as much like a statement as it does a drink — which, for Ketel One, is exactly the point.
With more than 335 years of distilling expertise and eleven generations of the Nolet family's craftsmanship in Schiedam, Ketel One combines traditional copper distillation techniques with modern methods, resulting in a vodka with a uniquely long finish and an exceptionally smooth, citrus-soft taste: the perfect base for a martini cocktail. Endorsed by the world's best bartenders (Drinks International Brand Report 2024).
The route runs until 30 June 2026. The timing is no coincidence: on 30 June, Amsterdam hosts the inaugural ceremony of The World's 50 Best Bars of Europe, of which Ketel One has been the official vodka partner for more than ten years. Amsterdam, this June, is the centre of the martini cocktail world.
You can discover Ketel One’s martini cocktails at any of the following addresses: Luminair, Oldenhof, Law & Order, Door 74, Duke of Tokyo, Feijoa, Blauwe Parade, Hotel Twenty Seven, KID, Njoy, Rosalia's Menagerie, Okura, Pulitzer Bar, Shakerato, Arca, Sins of Sal, Super Lyan, Freddy's Bar, Flying Dutchmen Cocktails, Fitz's Bar, House of NŌA, The Tailor, W Lounge, and Specht.
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TEAM CREDITS:
talent GIA BAB
photography EVA PRAYCE
styling DEION SIMON
hair YASMIN ORION
makeup THIRZA KING
management ROGER BRUNINGS
videography JESSE KOELSTRA
photography assistant ANNE SOPHIE