There is a divide amongst martini aficionados that is perhaps even deeper than the Great Vodka vs. Gin Debate :
Are you Twisted or Dirty?
When you enjoy a classic martini, be it with vodka or gin, do you prefer it with a twist of citrus or with an olive/dirtied up with the olive juice? In my martini travels, I’ve rarely found those who enjoy it both ways.
Shaker One here- I am a Twisted Tini gal exclusively. If a bartender decides to “surprise” me with his “specialty” dirty style, I send it right back. Dirty style should never be a surprise. I love the subtle lemon perfume of the twist- it kisses the martini with it’s brightness, yet still allows the clean flavor of the drink to shine through. Of course, when making a classic martini you must use the very best quality vodka or gin possible.
Shaker Two here. I have leaned more towards the dirty martinis. I am not sure if I started drinking these to mask the flavor of the rather cheap, burning vodka I drank as college student or whether or not I just ordered it for the olives. I am guessing some of both, but it has stuck with me through the years. I had one wonderful bartender that would bring me the martini with a small glass filled with olives, with the remainder of martini in it. I would happily snack on my vodka soaked olives. Now, though it is not what I order normally, I can also deal with a twisted martini. I think it depends on my mood.
Where do you fall? Tell us below….we’re curious to see which is more popular.
I think you leave out the “not dirty but with two olives” choice in your poll – I used to drink martinis and I liked the clean taste that Shaker 1 describes, but also enjoyed the saltiness of the olives. So, like when I enter the voting booth to elect a New York City mayor, I don’t fully agree with any of the choices presented. 🙂
The best gins and vodkas are crucial. I used to drink exclusively vodka martinis until I tried one made with Bombay (very dry, two olives…). I have enjoyed gin ever since…
Former guest shaker weighing in here. Both ways, but only under special circumstances. Dirty is fine if a less than premium spirit is being used. (hey, sometimes you do what you gotta do, aka free well drinks) If it’s a vodka martini, I like the bit of flavor that a twist ads. A proper gin martini (which I prefer) profits from a single olive, but no juice. One lovely and notable exception: if I am at home or if I happen to be at a bar that keeps Lillet blanc in the house, I substitute that for the vermouth with a gin martini. In that case, a twist is so delicious and perfect, it is the martini of the gods. Plymouth is my favorite martini gin, closely followed by 209, and T10 coming in a respectable 3rd.
Kim says:
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Moderation? Moi? And you’re talking about martinis? Yeah, good luck with that.
A lemon twist, s’il vous plait! Also, I’m a big fan of the tomolive – a pickled green tomato.
I recently discovered tomolives… really tasty and fun. I need to get more so we can experiment (read: snack) with them more.