This dirty gin martini is served with an olive garnish in a chilled martini glass, and is undoubtedly the best version of this classic drink.
If you love olives and slowly sipping a flavorful drink, a dirty gin martini fits the bill. The botanicals in the gin, acidity of the vermouth, and salty umami flavor of the olives blend together marvelously for this spin on the iconic martini.
Martinis are typically served before dinner, and I agree this is the best time to enjoy! Dirty martinis are incredibly strong and savory—just one drink more than satisfies the craving and might even be too much after a full meal. It's an absolute treat when you're in the mood for the intense flavors.
Prefer a lighter, brighter gin drink? A Gin Fizz might be more up your alley, and my version includes thyme simple syrup, which pairs wonderfully with the botanicals and sweet lemon.
Dirty martinis (or any type of martini) are best served ice cold, but without ice. The best way to do this is chill your martini glasses in the freezer while you prepare the drinks, and serve them immediately after mixing.
As you sip, the olives will absorb the flavor of the gin and vermouth and you'll have a boozy olive to pop in your mouth after the last sip of the drink. Perfection! The go-to martini olive is red pepper-stuffed olives, but garlic olives or one of the other varieties of stuffed olives are sure to please.
Apparently two olives in a martini is bad luck, so you should stick with a single olive, or slide three onto a cocktail skewer to enjoy as you drink. You'll notice my martini has two olives in the photos. What can I say? I like to live on the edge.
🍸 Ingredients
There are only 3 ingredients (4 if you count the olives and olive brine/juice separately) in a dirty gin martini—simple!
- Dry gin
- Vermouth
- Olive brine
- Olives
Dry Gin
There are many types of gin to choose from, but make sure the one you choose is dry, which means there are no added sweeteners, flavors, or botanicals that mimic sweetness (such as licorice). Dry gins rely heavily on juniper, the main botanical used in all gins that gives it a fresh pine flavor.
The umami flavor of the olives and brine would clash with a sweeter gin, but a simple dry gin provides a perfect foundation for the flavor of the drink.
I used Koval Dry Gin, a favorite liquor from a local distillery here in Chicago.
Vermouth
Vermouth is a type of wine that has been aromatized and fortified, which means it has liquor, herbs and spices, and possibly a sweetener added to it to give it flavor and a higher ABV.
Vermouth is typically used for mixing cocktails and it's a main ingredient in the martini, Manhattan, and Negroni. However, vermouth connoisseurs will seek out the different varieties and drink it straight over ice.
As with the gin, we'll be using dry vermouth in this martini recipe. Save sweet vermouth for sweet cocktails, or drinking alone.
Vermouth is not always vegan, so make sure to find a vegan brand! Since vermouth is a wine, animal products are sometimes used in the filtration process. I used Dolin, a widely available type of vermouth that contains no animal products.
It's not the easiest thing to find vegan vermouth. Another popular brand, Martini & Rossi, is NOT vegan, and it's also sweet, so not the right choice for this recipe anyway. If you're unsure you can check Barnivore, a guide to vegan wine, beer, and spirits.
🔪 Instructions
Combine the gin, vermouth, and olive brine in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Stir until the drink is chilled. Strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with an olive, and serve.
📋 Variation
Not a fan of gin? You can make a dirty martini with your favorite vodka as well.
💭 Tips
- Chill the martini glass in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before making the drink so it stays extra cold.
- Make sure to use vegan vermouth. I used Dolin, which is a common brand of vermouth that contains no animal bi-products.
- Typically, olives stuffed with red pepper are used for dirty martinis, but you can use any kind you like, such as garlic-stuffed olives.
📖 Recipe
Dirty Gin Martini with Olive Brine
This dirty gin martini is served with an olive garnish in a chilled martini glass, and is undoubtedly the best version of this classic drink.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ½ oz dry vermouth
- ¾ oz olive brine
- Olive for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the gin, vermouth, and olive brine in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Stir until the drink is chilled.
- Strain into a martini glass, garnish with an olive, and serve.
Notes
- Chill the martini glass in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before making the drink so it stays extra cold.
- Make sure to use vegan vermouth. I used Dolin, which is a common brand of vermouth that contains no animal bi-products.
- Typically, olives stuffed with red pepper are used for dirty martinis, but you can use any kind you like, such as garlic-stuffed olives.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 186mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on seitanbeatsyourmeat.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.
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