A Twist in Brine—The History of the Dirty Martini

“Happiness is…finding two olives in your Martini when you’re hungry.” – Johnny Carson

I may be biased, but no drink evokes more sexiness and confidence than the Dirty Martini. I don’t know if it’s the long, elegant stemware or the olive casually leaning inside the glass, but the image has become iconic in American culture. The classic Martini solidified its place in history by becoming the calling card for the Rat Pack, Ernest Hemmingway and the most infamous fictional spy, James Bond. Eventually this classic got a savory upgrade with the addition of olive brine creating an edgier, “Dirty” version. The Dirty Martini has had an interesting journey into widespread popularity, but the details are sometimes murkier than the drink itself.

There are few theories as to the origin of the Martini, itself. The leading one’s place its conception in Northern California during the mid 1800s Gold Rush. A prospector who struck it rich, went to a local bar to celebrate his good fortune. If you believe the citizens of Martinez, California, this man stopped in on his way to San Francisco. He ordered a glass of Champagne, and when the bartender realized he was without, he insisted on creating a new drink for the man. Using his limited selection, the bartender combined gin, vermouth, bitters, maraschino liqueur and a slice of lemon.

As the story goes, the man paid for the drink with a gold nugget and the “Martinez Special” was born. The prospector spread the word about the amazing cocktail to people in San Francisco, and the name was shortened to “Martini.” The other prominent theory places the prospector in San Francisco on his way to Martinez. There at the Occidental Hotel, the famous bartender Jerry Thomas supposedly concocted the drink for the man, mixing Old Tom gin, vermouth, bitters and maraschino. We’ll never know the truth of the Martini’s actual origins, but it lies somewhere in the 40 miles between these two cities. Either way the Gin Martini was created, and it quickly took off.

Around 1901 someone decided to give the Martini a salty kick. It is, “believed” that across the country in New York, a bartender named John O’ Connor took the groundbreaking step of muddling olives and adding a splash of olive brine. This completely changed the game for Martini drinkers like FDR, who stayed buzzed on them in the White House for almost four terms. Some even believed Roosevelt was the creator of the Dirty Martini because of his affinity for the drink. The love of the Dirty Martini was not as easily earned by the rest of the public. It wasn’t until the introduction of the tax deductible “Three Martini Lunches” of the 60s and 70s, that the Dirty Martini BOOMED (as seen on Mad Men).

“The threeMmartini lunch is the epitome of American efficiency. Where else can you get an earful, a bellyful and a snootful at the same time?” Gerald Ford

The Dirty Martini has gone through quite a revolution since its beginning. Gin was always used as the base for all Martinis until 1953, when James Bond introduced the “Vesper Martini” in Casino Royale. This famous cocktail, “shaken not stirred” was made of gin, vodka and Kina Lillet. The vermouth was dropped which foreshadowed the waning of its popularity in the future. As spirits become more refined the necessity of vermouth to soften the bite has lessened. And now that vodka was officially introduced, it quickly became the favored alternative to its botanical counterpart.

Alcohol sales in United States over the past twenty years have proven that vodka is the predominating spirit in the Martini world. Whether you make your Dirty Martini with vodka or gin, with or without vermouth, it has earned a permanent place in American Spirits history.

The Spicy Mojo

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Chopin Vodka
• 1/2 oz Olive Brine
• 1/2 oz pickle juice
• 1 splash of Tobasco
• Garnish with Jalapeno stuffed olive and Tomolive