Dirty Martini Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for a Dirty Martini? ›

Dirty Martini

Calls for 3 ½ ounces gin or vodka, ½ ounce dry vermouth, and ½ ounce olive brine. Serve stirred, garnished with olives.

The term 'dirty' means that olive brine, usually from a jar of co*cktail olives, has been added to the drink. An olive garnish is typically assumed, too. Most bars add equal parts vermouth and brine, though you can specify 'extra dirty' or 'filthy' if you prefer more brine.

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.

In its most classic form, a Dirty Martini adds olive brine to the standard Martini recipe. Some places, such as Bemelmans and Musso & Frank's, will split the dry vermouth and olive brine, substituting a portion of the vermouth with an equal amount of brine.

Vermouth: Dolin Dry

Dolin is on the more expensive side of vermouths, but it tastes fantastic in a dirty martini. It doesn't overpower the other flavours (ahem, olive juice which I'll get to in a minute) but does balance the gin well.

Chopin Vodka

“It pairs very well with olive brine and a splash of dry vermouth,” says Zachary Dimmitt, director of food & beverage at Nick's Quorum Bar & Supper Club in Omaha. “The salty flavor from the olive brine pairs perfectly with the earthy creamy tones of Chopin.”

It's almost easier to make a bad dirty martini than it is to make a great one. Adding that touch of olive brine can make the co*cktail too salty or impart the stale, musty taste of olives bottled during the last century. Your dirty martini can also suffer from being the wrong temperature, too boozy, or out of balance.

Order your martini wet, dry, or extra dry.

These terms refer to the ratio of gin or vodka to vermouth. If you do not specify what you want, you will be served a martini with a standard ratio. A wet martini is a martini with extra vermouth. A dry martini refers to a martini with less vermouth in it.

4. There is a fine line when it comes to brine, and this drink can go from delightful to disgusting really quickly. Customizable with gin or vodka, a touch of vermouth and defiled with olive juice, if you like your martini dirty, you're hip, swanky, stylish… hungry?

As he tells InsideHook, there's a simple reason why the drink endures: “It's clear and uncomplicated. It packs a punch. It feels and looks sophisticated and elegant in the most dire of conditions.” That, maybe more than anything, explains the Martini getting back to the top of the co*cktail world.

What martini does James Bond drink? ›

A Vesper Martini comprises three shots London dry gin, one shot vodka and half a shot dry French wine aperitif. It's James Bond's drink of choice and, thanks to the movie franchise, is famously ordered with the specification for it to be "shaken not stirred".

A dirty martini, however? That wisp of olive brine alongside gin and vermouth made the drink downright quaffable and fun, even though it still looked like the thing that grown-ups who had a mortgage and a dinner jacket drank. It became a go-to when I felt the need to flex some faux refinement.

Once you have consumed two, you must move on to a soft drink, such as wine or a gin and tonic. The reasons for this are obvious and I try to adhere to this rule at home. The rule is defended most enduringly (and elegantly) at Duke's Bar in Central London, where years of experience … Continue reading.

What is a good martini for beginners? The classic martini is one of the best martinis and co*cktails for beginners. The classic martini calls for a simple mix of vermouth and gin, garnished with a lemon twist or green olives. The V-shaped glass it's poured into and served in is just as classic as the drink itself.

There are three main types of Martini: wet, dry and perfect. Vermouth is a fortified wine flavoured with botanicals, and it makes a Martini either sweet or dry, depending how much vermouth is used in the recipe. Wet means the drink is sweeter, so the ratio is normally 3:1.

Begin with a London dry-style gin. From there, add a little dry vermouth. The ratio is negotiable, but common formulas for a Dry Martini typically fall in the range of four-to-eight parts gin to one part vermouth. A dash of orange bitters ties the room together.

A dirty martini means that olive juice or olive brine is mixed in. This can be on its own, or in addition to “with a twist” for a lemon brine or “with an olive”. A clean martini refers to a martini served without a garnish.

As a result, gin-based Dirty Martinis tend to taste more complex, with additional notes of botanicals. Vodka Dirty Martinis have a more distinct flavor of olive and olive brine. Both are good in their own way, so it's down to personal taste which you prefer.

Before we go any further, let's get one thing straight: A martini can't be dirty unless it's cut with olive brine, aka the juice from a jar of olives. Brine is defined as water saturated with salt, but depending on your olives, that brine can vary slightly.