Dirty Martini
A savory twist on the classic martini, spiked with briny olive brine for a bold, umami-laced depth.
Ingredients
- 2.5 oz vodka
- 0.5 oz dry vermouth
- 0.5 oz olive brine
- Cocktail olives, to garnish
Instructions
- 1Combine vodka, dry vermouth, and olive brine in a mixing glass with ice.
- 2Stir until well chilled.
- 3Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with olives on a pick.
Origin & Story
The earliest reference to a 'dirty martini' appears in a 1901 New York newspaper describing a gin martini with a dash of olive brine. The term 'dirty' simply refers to the cloudiness the brine imparts. Over the following century it evolved into a vodka-forward bar staple, beloved for cutting through the spirit's neutrality with salty, savory intensity.
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