I think the whole "bruising" notion is a bunch of hooey -- really, if you go one-on-one with a bottle of gin, who's more likely to come out bruised?

Anyway, it usually comes up in the shaking vs. stirring debate when it comes to martinis. Here's the basic rule of thumb, which James Bond confused for all of us: if a drink's ingredients are all booze (spirits, liqueurs, aromatic wines like vermouth, etc.), then stir the drink; if you have fruit juice or dairy products or the like, shake it.

The rationale is that stirring the drink introduces less air into the cocktail, so the result is smoother in the mouth and more visually appealing in the glass (and if you doubt how much difference shaking vs. stirring can make, keep an eye out for one of those shaken-until-it-has-a-head-on-it Manhattans that are so prevalent). With juice and other ingredients, you'll chill it faster by shaking it, and with these drinks you might even want some bubbles along for the ride.

Can you shake a martini? If you like it that way, go for it. It'll be bubbly and kinda cloudy at first, but bruised? Nah.