How To Make Your Martini Extra Dirty When It's Not Filthy Enough

It was this side of ten years ago that the dirty martini was considered gauche, tacky, and against all cocktail virtues. It goes against the sleek, simple, and alcohol-forward martini of James Bond (think of the potent and ever-elegant Vesper martini). But, as Bob Dylan once warbled "the times, they are a-changin." Now, it seems that dirty martinis are all the fashion. Not just any dirty martini, either. 

This go around, martinis are getting really, truly filthy. Invented in 1901, the dirty martini is nothing new. To order a martini "dirty" usually indicates the addition of olive brine to the drink. Usually, a martini consists of gin (or vodka) mixed with vermouth and garnished with an olive (or pearl onion). In a dirty martini, a splash of olive brine is added into the drink, bringing a bit of saltiness and flavor that can help cover the intensely alcoholic base.

In recent years, however, that splash of olive brine has grown to a pour, and other briny, savory additions have made their way to the classic cocktail. Thus, the filthy martini came into existence. Mixologists of all stripes have concocted filthy martinis using brines, vinegars, and seasonings of all sorts to create a drink that is unabashedly savory. Think of it as the buttoned up, black tie appropriate counterpart to the bloody Mary. So how do you make a deeply, murky martini? Well, that's a matter of preference, and we've gathered a few methods of messing up your martini, including adding olive oil and packing your olives with cheese.

Let's start with the basics. At its most essential, a dirty martini is simply a classic martini with a splash of olive brine. So, what then is a filthy martini? It's a dirty martini that has been taken up a notch with the addition of even more brine and other added ingredients. It is important to note that there is not one standard recipe for a filthy, or for that matter, dirty martini. The primary difference between the two is the balance between the basic martini ingredients and the added "filth". 

A filthy martini is all about taking your brine up a notch. While a dirty martini usually only indicates the addition of olive brine, this martini usually adds a few other elements, such as pickle juice, caper brine, or even pepperoncini brine for a kick of salty tang. You can add one type of brine or multiple, depending on your tastes. These ingredients will give your drink an umami kick that not only give your drink a distinctly savory, tangy taste, but also covers the alcohol in your martini, much like a pickle back after a shot of whiskey.

Other additions to a filthy martini include cracked black pepper. This will give your drink an intense bite as well as a bit of complexity that can round out your brine. You can also top your martini with a small drizzle of high-quality olive oil, which will bring a smooth, rich flavor to your martini. Think of it as an oil slick atop your opaque martini puddle: dirty, savory, and delicious.

Now you know the essentials of filthy martini-making. But what if you want something even filthier, like a martini fit for the King of Filth himself, John Waters? If you really want to push your 'tini to the limits, here are a few pointers. Let's start with the olives. 

While a hefty pour of olive brine is great for this drink, if you're really hoping to infuse it with olive flavor, you might want to muddle olives into the base of your drink. Simply take one or two olives from your jar and muddle, then add it to your cocktail shaker with your vodka or gin, vermouth, brine, and ice. Shake until cold, then pour, straining out your muddled bits of olive. If you're more of a fan of blue cheese olives in your martini and want a bit more cheese influence in your drink, you can rim your cocktail glass with a blue cheese spread. 

Speaking of cheese, there is no reason that your drink can't take a culinary lilt. You can make your filthy martini into a drinkable Caesar salad, for example, by mixing salad dressing into your cocktail. You can even add in various fermented foods such as kimchi or sauerkraut to your drink, for an extra dose of sourness. Really, there are an infinitum of ways to make a filthy martini, as long as you have your mind properly fixed in the gutter.