Why are there olives in martinis

With the exception of the lemon twist, olives are the quintessential garnish for the booziest of classic gin cocktails. And varieties abound. Who was the first salt-crazed scoundrel to splash some OJ olive juice, baby into a glass of gin and take a swig? How — and again, why — does it somehow work? They add a certain je ne sais quoi , a briny oceanic bite of salinity that mixes and melds nicely with botanicals like lemon, angelica, ginger, cardamom, and yes, juniper.

And of course: they offer a built-in snack, too. While the dirty martini has become a standard iteration, the OG martini skewed more sweet than savory. Types of Martini Olives.

References The City of Martinez. Martini recipes and glasses. History of the Dirty Martini. The Best Martini Olives. Martini Vs. Dirty Martini. How to Make a Martini Without Vermouth. What Makes a Martini Extra Dry? By Kate Dingwall.

Kate Dingwall. Kate Dingwall is a freelance writer whose work focuses on food, drinks, and travel. Our Top Picks. Best Overall:. These olives deliver a delicious buttery flavor that pairs well with a gin martini.

Best for Bloody Marys:. Pickle-stuffed olives are perfect for adding depth to a bloody mary. Best for Vodka Martinis:. For rich and buttery olives with a nice meaty texture, the search ends here.

Best for Gin Martinis:. A nod to the classic martini, these combine dry vermouth, juniper, and coriander. Best for Dirty Martinis:. Jalapeno and garlic are double-stuffed into these olives. Best for Spritz:. Carefully stuffed with spicy pimento peppers, this pick is bold and salty. Best Blue Cheese-Stuffed:. They're filled with creamy blue cheese and steeped in a delicious, salty brine. In This Article Expand. Our Picks. What to Look for. Why Trust The Spruce Eats? Best Overall: Divina Castelvetrano Olives.

View On Amazon. Expert Tip Anthony Escalante, the lead mixologist at the Wrigley Mansion , goes one step further with his love of olives and saves the brine to use in future martinis. The 9 Best Vodkas in The rest are consumed once the drink is finished. For such a simple garnish, the olive is subject to one simple rule: The olives topping Martinis must always be in groups of three or singular. An unspoken superstition deems an even number of olives bad luck. Like avoiding a black cat in an alleyway, most seasoned bartenders will only serve Martinis with one or three olives never two or four.

The origins of this superstition remain a mystery, but are adamantly followed.