Halloween Martini Extra Dirty

Expert Tips

• It doesn’t get much easier than this classic drink. I like it bare bones with vodka or gin, and olive juice or brine.
• Some people may prefer to include a hint of vermouth but I don’t really feel the need for it.
• Use a metal shaker for this instead of a glass one. That way it will insure your martini shakes up as cold as possible.
• I find that people are either a Vodka lover or a Gin lover. You can make it with either liquor, just make sure it’s a good quality brand. That usually correlates with price and may run you around $30 and up.
• For the olive juice you can use a high quality brand of olives and simply pour in some of the brine. I’ve also had good luck with olive juice that’s sold specifically for making cocktails. It’s usually sold in the grocery store alongside other mixers like grenadine, lime juice, and bloody mary mix.
• The recipe in the card below has a range of olive juice amounts. That’s because some people want it really strong and boozy while other, like myself, like it extra dirty. You may have to experiment to see which suits you better.

Best Vodka to Use

Stoli, Gray Goose, Kettle One, Tito’s, Effin, Svedka

Best Gin to Use

For the gin lovers try Hendrick’s or Beefeater Gin.

How to Make a Dirty Martini

Add a scoop of ice to the shaker; about 1/4 cup.

Pour in drink ingredients and replace the lid securely. Shake vigorously for 5 to 10 seconds and then strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish.

Eyeball Garnish

Garnish with spooky radish eyeballs. They’re easy to make and they look so creepy!

You’ll need a bunch of radishes with their root still attached, and pimento-stuffed olives.

1. Use a vegetable peeler or pairing knife to scrape off the skin of the radishes. Be sure to leave streaks of red on the radish so they give the look of bloodshot eyes.
2. Next cut a flat piece off the rounded end. Save the end with the root attached as part of the creepy garnish.
3. Use a melon baller or strawberry huller to carve out a hole at the flat end.
4. Cut an olive in half and fit it inside the hole with the flat side facing outward and flush with the radish.
5. Attach 2 radishes together using a wooden pick, so they are side by side and look like monster eyes.

More Halloween Martinis

• Black Magic martini
• Black Widow martini
• Caramel Apple martini