Why The Vodka Martini Was Briefly Called The Kangaroo Kicker

Martinis have always been a bit of a cocktail icon — whether you're ordering one dry, dirty, or with a twist, the martini exudes sophistication with every sip. But in the 1940s, this polished drink took a detour down a more playful road when the vodka martini briefly became known as the "Kangaroo Kicker." Yes, you read that right — before it was a cool, sleek staple of cocktail bars, it had a name that sounds more like an outback adventure than a posh night out.

The story behind this oddball nickname starts with Oscar Haimo, the head bartender at New York City's Pierre Hotel in the 1940s. In "Cocktail Digest", his 1943 book, Haimo listed his vodka martini recipe with the goofy dub "Kangaroo Kicker" as a tribute to Australia, one of the United States' World War II allies. With vodka gaining popularity and a potential gin shortage looming, Haimo leaned into vodka-based cocktails and gave the vodka martini a zesty new identity. The name was meant to be a fun twist, playing up the exotic and strong nature of the drink, because, let's be honest, who wouldn't want to try a cocktail called a "Kangaroo Kicker"? Despite its catchy appeal, the name didn't last long, and was soon replaced by the now-classic "vodka martini."

Though it could've been a cute name for a stiff Australian bevvie, "Kangaroo Kicker" was one of those cocktail names destined to fade, despite its brief flirtation with fame. As cocktail historian David Wondrich told VinePair, the quirky moniker didn't even make it 10 years. By the late 1940s, the name had already started to hop out of cocktail culture. In 1948, mixologist David A. Embury's "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks" cocktail recipe book restored the drink to its original, more polished identity: the vodka martini. 

By the 1960s, vodka was everywhere, and cocktail culture was leaning into elegance over novelty. Enter icons like James Bond, whose famous martini order cemented the vodka martini's status as the epitome of cool. These days, the suave drink is better known for its versatility — whether you prefer an ice-cold vodka martini or a dirty martini with a splash of olive brine. But the "Kangaroo Kicker" stands as a reminder of how trends and tastes can change, even if the nickname lives on only as a quirky footnote in cocktail history. While it may have bounced out of bar menus, it's the perfect bit of trivia to drop at your next cocktail party to prove your vast knowledge about the ubiquitous martini.