Dirty Martini

The Dirty Martini features gin or vodka, dry vermouth, and olive brine. It's is one of the most popular savory cocktails ever created, and though it may feel like a modern creation, the drink has been a go-to Martini variation for over a hundred years.

Believed to have originated in 1901, the Dirty Martini is often credited to New York bartender John O’Connor, who found inspiration in the classic Martini's olive garnish. First made by muddling the olive into the drink, and later by adding a splash of olive brine, the Dirty Martini took decades to reach a wide fan base. It eventually found favor among drinkers, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who often mixed them for guests in the White House.

As the Dirty Martini has grown in popularity, bartenders have increasingly begun to tailor the drink, improving the it with better technique and higher quality ingredients. That includes fresh vermouth and artisan olive juice.

Why the Dirty Martini Works

Most frequently comprised of just gin or vodka and dry vermouth, the classic Martini creates an incredibly versatile and flexible template to experiment with. The classic Dry Martini is the standard bearer, but countless riffs take the drink in new directions, from the 50/50 Martini, which combines equals parts gin and dry vermouth, to the Perfect Martini, which includes both sweet and dry vermouth.

Each of these variations essentially revolves around changing the weight of the cocktail to place the focus on a different aspect of the drink. A Dry Martini favors the spirit, only using a minute amount of vermouth to add nose to the cocktail without softening the gin or vodka excessively. A Wet Martini or 50/50 shifts toward vermouth, creating a more aromatically complex drink with heavier body.

The Dirty Martini uses brine in much the same way we use salt in cooking, to accentuate both the sweet and savory components of vermouth while tamping down any bitterness. As the brine takes on natural oils from the olives, this also allows it to create mouthfeel and body in the Martini, without increasing the total volume of vermouth.

Should a Dirty Martini Use Vodka or Gin?

As with all Martinis, the choice of gin or vodka is a matter of preference. However, while many bartenders default to gin as the ideal option for a standard Martini, many find vodka to be the better choice for a Dirty Martini. This is because the spirit’s more neutral profile allows the olive brine to shine more prominently, without getting muddled by gin's heavier botanicals.

You can choose whichever spirit you prefer, as both do an admirable job, but if you're looking for a more olive-forward option, vodka may be your ideal choice.

Ingredients