Method
Stir or shake:
- Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the vodka (or gin), dry vermouth, and olive brine.
- Stir for 25-30 seconds, OR shake hard for 10 if you prefer a colder, slightly cloudy drink (Bond style).
Strain and garnish:
- Strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe.
- Drop three green olives on a cocktail pick into the drink.
Nutrition
Notes
Brine quality matters. Use brine from quality olives (Castelvetrano, Spanish Manzanilla) — not the murky liquid from a jar of cheap pimento-stuffed olives. The drink tastes of whatever the brine tastes of.
Filthy Martini is the same drink with double the brine and sometimes blue cheese stuffed olives. Different drink, different post.
Vodka or gin? Bond drinks vodka. Most cocktail books prefer gin because the botanicals add complexity. Both are correct. Choose by what you like.