Classic Recipe with a Twist: The Hot and Dirty Martini

Back in my review of the martini service at Requin, I promised you a “few posts” of martini recipes.  First I offered my take on the classic martini.  Then I interrupted our martini study to check out the Brothers and Sisters bar at the Line Hotel.  Now I’m back to deliver on the promise of multiple martini recipes.  As I’ve noted, the martini is an old drink that has enjoyed many iterations over the years.  In that spirit, I now offer you a twist of my own on the classic, the Hot and Dirty Martini:

The recipe begins with the classic gin and vermouth ingredients.  But as its name suggests, there are two modifications here:  heat and additional brine.  The heat is supplied by the spicy Ancho Reyes Verde, a green ancho chile liqueur.  It has a savory flavor, which is fitting for a martini.

The chile liqueur also pairs well with additional brine, which “dirties” up the drink.  The brine in this case comes from Gordy’s (of D.C.), which makes a Fine Brine intended for cocktails specifically.

There are several things I like about this combination of ingredients.  The first is that (as noted above) it adds an earthy, savory flavor to the drink.  Don’t get me wrong – I love the classic martini.  In my classic recipe, the prevailing flavor is the herbal profile of the gin, the main ingredient.  But if you’re someone who likes a good Bloody Mary or a martini with a lot of extra olive juice, I think you’ll like what Gordy’s adds to the drink.  And to me, the chile liqueuer was a natural addition.  The chile flavor is compatible with the vegetable-leaning profile of the drink, and I like adding spice to just about everything.  (If you are sensitive to spice don’t worry, it’s not overwhelming.)

The other advantage to this approach is that it’s a lighter drink than a traditional martini, meaning you can have more of them.  Gin comprises only half the recipe here, and the other ingredients are lower proof or nonalcoholic.

And finally, I think it’s good to have a few variations of the martini in your rotation.  You might want to host a martini night, for example, and new options help keep things fresh for martini diehards and might cast the drink in a new, better light for those who have not been won over by the martini in the past.

Here is the recipe:

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Hot and Dirty Martini

Spice up the classic martini with this recipe, which starts with gin and vermouth but adds a chile liqueur and brine to bring you a Hot and Dirty Martini.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Spirit-Forward

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Calories 147kcal

Author Geoffrey Wyatt

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. gin I used Botanist
• 1/2 oz. Ancho Reyes Verde
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth I used Dolin
• 1/2 oz. Gordy's Fine Brine

Instructions

• Place two olives in a martini glass.
• Combine the gin, Ancho Reyes Verde, vermouth, and brine in a mixing glass with ice and stir.
• Strain into the martini glass.

Enjoy!