Dirty Martini

If you like a classic Vodka Martini, spice it up a little bit with some olives and brine for added flavour. Like a standard Martini, this cocktail is very easy to make and will be sure to be loved by yourself and friends.

Our recipes calls for 15 mL of Olive Brine, but feel free to adjust these measurements to suit your tastes. Some will like more, some will like less. This is the same for the amount of Vermouth you'll be using. Just be sure to keep track of things so you can recreate it in the future.

Total Time 4

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

75 mL Vodka
15 mL Dry Vermouth
15 mL Olive Brine
Garnish with a few olives

Instructions

Add Vodka, Dry Vermouth, and Olive Brine to mixing glass with plenty of ice. Mix until cold.
Strain into a Martini glass.
Garnish and enjoy.

A Bit More About the Dirty Martini

We’ve mentioned on other Martini recipes that what we like about Martinis in general (whether that be the Classic Martini or one of the many others) is that they’re open to endless variations. Whether it be a more involved variation like creating the Porn Star Martini (which is hardly a Martini, but hey, it’s called one…) or more subtle variation like the Dirty Martini. This variability comes from just how simple and basic the original Gin Martini is. While the original is great (and some say it shouldn’t have changed!), simplicity often encourages people to change things up a bit. It makes people get their creative juices flowing!

Does the recipe for the Dirty Martini work if you make more than one at a time?

It should! Just add more of everything to your mixing glass then proceed to follow the instructions as normal. As everybody knows, cocktails are best shared with friends, so why not extend the recipe and make a few?

Does this recipe still work if the cocktail is prepared in advance?

We wouldn’t suggest this. Part of the charm of a Dirty Martini is having the Olive Brine mixed in with everything else. If you let the cocktail sit for too long, the brine will likely separate out from the other ingredients, which wouldn’t be too pleasing.

When should I try a Dirty Martini?

Really any time you’d have a Martini. We’re thinking especially if you’re at a nice cocktail party or cocktail bar. Since the Dirty Martini is a pretty basic variation of the standard, there’s not a lot different about the times you may have the standard or make it dirty with some Olive Brine.

The Martini (standard or dirty) is one of the main classics that every bar tender is able to make and every bar tender should know how to make. So wherever you find yourself you should be able to order one or make one. With that, most bars or households have Olives on hand, so getting the brine shouldn’t be a problem!

Is the Dirty Martini strong?

No stronger than a Martini really! The big difference between the two is just the addition of the Olive Brine. That being said, 75 mL of Vodka, as specified in this recipe, is a little above average in terms of liquor in a cocktail. Add the 15 mL of Dry Vermouth, which isn’t strong but it’s still alcoholic, and you have a cocktail with a bit of strength to it. Sure, some cocktail recipes are a whole lot stronger than the Martini, but here you’re basically just drinking neat Vodka with a little bit of other stuff to slightly change the flavour. Let’s just say it’s a little stronger than average or a bit weaker than strong. Tread slightly carefully.

What music pairs well with a Dirty Martini?

Let’s stick with keeping the Dirty Martini in standard Martini territory. We’re sorry to keep bringing it back to the standard, but the two drinks are so similar we can’t help it! We don’t want to say they’re the same drink, it’s just that the Dirty Martini is such a basic variation it’s hard to stay away from. We’re not saying a basic variation is a bad thing though! A lot of great cocktails have come out of basic variations after all!

Because we’re keeping the Dirty Martini so close to the regular Martini, we’re going to say the same thing in regards to music. Since the Martini is such a perfect cocktail party drink, we suggest pairing it with whatever music is being played at a cocktail party. Of course this will change from party to party though! However, the music is usually quiet and unobtrusive, nothing to fast or too slow. It’s just pure background music.

Looking for more cocktail recipes? We have plenty for you to try!

Whether it’s more Martini style cocktail recipes, more cocktail recipes with Vodka, or anything else, we have plenty of cocktail recipes for you to try. You’re welcome to use our cocktail builder to see what cocktail you make make with the ingredients you have at home, or you can also take a look at some of the site sections we have below to browse however you like.

Top 10 Vodka cocktail recipes: we’ll start with our favourite Vodka cocktail recipes. We hope you like them as much as we do!

Top 15 three ingredient cocktails: easy cocktails are great because they’re, well, easy to make. Here’s our favourite easy cocktails with three ingredients or fewer.

All Vodka cocktail recipes: if you’re just looking to browse, why not just flip through all the Vodka cocktail recipes we have on the site. It’s a pretty common base spirit, so there’s plenty of recipes!

All three ingredient cocktail recipes: or flip through all the easy cocktail recipes we have. You’ll surely find something to enjoy.