Martini (Filthy Dirty)
Why stop at dirty, when you could have your martini filthy? In this extra-dirty take on the classic martini, we combine equal parts gin and dry vermouth with a generous pour of olive brine. It makes for a mellower cocktail with a salty-smooth and crisp finish: a savoury pick-me-upper for gin lovers who can't quite handle the fiery stiffness of its drier cousin.
1½ oz dry gin (45 mL)
1½ oz dry vermouth (45 mL)
¾ oz olive brine (22 mL)
Garnish:
1 or 3 olives
Chill a martini or cocktail glass.
Combine gin, vermouth, and brine in a mixing glass and fill with ice.
Stir until well chilled, about 20 seconds, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Add 1 or 3 olives to garnish and serve.
Makes 1 cocktail.
Tips:
- It may be an old bar tale, but it's said that an even number of olives is bad luck.
- As with any of the basic martinis, feel free to adjust the gin-vermouth ratio to your liking. The drink can also be made with your favourite vodka.
- Using the liquid in an olive jar as your source is a great idea, especially if you invest in good olives. There are many gourmet olives available, stuffed with everything from the standard pimento to blue cheese or jalapeño. The brine from each of these is going to have a slightly different taste and you may prefer one over the other.
- Keep in mind that olives should be refrigerated. This is a common mistake in bars and you'll find some bartenders making a dirty martini using warm juice from the garnish tray. It's a bad habit and rather disgusting and unsanitary. Luckily, many have changed their ways and are either refrigerating separate brine for martinis or using bottled olive juice.
- Some bartenders also suggest using a few dashes of olive oil instead of brine. It's a good option if you are not a fan of the dirtier aspect of this cocktail. It adds just a hint of olive flavour beyond what the garnish can deliver. Just be sure it is only 1 or 2 dashes or you will create an oil slick in your glass.