Cocktail · Spirit-forward
Dirty Martini
Gin, dry vermouth, olive brine — the martini that got its hands dirty.
How to order it: Ask for it 'dirty' to taste, not to drown. Three olives, always odd numbers.
Flavor profile
The recipe
- 2½ oz gin
- ½ oz dry vermouth
- ½ oz olive brine
- Stir very cold; coupe or martini glass
- Three olives
The story
Bartenders were muddling olives into Martinis as early as the start of the twentieth century, but the dirty variant's most famous advocate held higher office: Franklin D. Roosevelt, an enthusiastic if erratic home bartender, was known to splash olive brine into the Martinis he mixed for guests during his nightly cocktail hour. For decades the drink was treated as a vulgarity — salting the cathedral — until the 1990s and 2000s made it the most popular Martini order in America. Purists still wince; that's part of the pleasure. The Dirty Martini endures because it admits what Martini drinkers rarely say aloud: the olive was always the best part.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a dirty martini and a regular martini?
The same gin and dry vermouth base, plus a splash of olive brine and an olive garnish. The brine makes it savory and saline where a classic dry martini is crisp and botanical.
Does a dirty martini have vermouth?
Traditionally, yes: dry vermouth, just like a classic martini. Many bars go light on it and some leave it out, so say so if you have a preference.
Which vermouth goes in a dirty martini?
Dry (French-style) vermouth, never sweet. The brine brings the salt; the vermouth brings a dry, herbal note.
What is an extra dirty martini?
A dirty martini with about twice the usual amount of olive brine.
Classic variation
The Dirty Martini is a riff on a classic. Meet the original:
Adjacent pours