Pickletini cocktail recipe

We may be a tad late to the Pickletini party, but we like to think of it as fashionably late (more on that later). Plus, we’re not the type to publish a recipe without first getting it right. One drink that has never left our sights is the Classic Martini. In all its renditions – vodka, gin, dry, sweet, wet, dirty or, as this writer loves, filthy – the Martini is one of those time-honoured drinks that demands a place in our cocktail-mixing repertoire. And this salty, briny version is no different.

A cracking addition to the Martini family, the Pickletini is part of a recent revolution that has seen the rise of picklebacks (a shot of bourbon or Irish whiskey followed by a shot of pickle brine), pickle beers, pickle-infused gin, pickle vodka, a hard pickle seltzer and even a semi-savoury sparkling water made with pickle brine and Toronto tap water (cool?). It’s pure pickle-mania… and we’re not salty about that.

While the exact details of the creation of the pickle-icious ’tini remain a bit cloudy, it’s safe to assume a clever barkeep or two decided to get creative with their Dirty Martini, swapping olive brine for pickle juice. With countless cocktail creators dreaming up wild brine options in bars across the world for unique takes on the Dirty Martini – we’re talking MSG brine, umami/mushroom tincture, kimchi juice, sesame brine and even apple cider vinegar mixtures – it makes total sense that the humble pickle jar at the local bar got its time to really shine.

The real reason we were a little late to the Pickletini was that we wanted to make sure our recipe slapped and test all the best ways to put our own stamp on it. Tough job, but someone has to do it.

If you're having a larger soireé or dinner party, and don’t feel up to shaking each drink individually (ain’t nobody got time for that), why not bash up a larger batch of Pickletinis to pour out for one and all? Bonus: A pre-batched Martini stored in the freezer will be lovely and chilled, and ready to serve when guests arrive.

Huge Dirty Martini die-hard? As olive brine tends to have very little vinegar, if any, the addition of pickle brine gives a Dirty Martini that brightness and vinegary pop. But you can still have your olives and eat them, too. We say treat yourself to the best of both worlds and add a dash of olive brine and/or perch some salty olives or cocktail onions on top of your Martini alongside your pickle garnish for an extra salty snack. We’re all about going big on garnishes right now. 

Wanna spice up your life? Add a healthy splosh of trusty Tabasco, or simply swap the pickle juice and garnish with a chilli pickle instead for a fiery take on your ’tini.

Last but by no means least, avoid pebbled or crushed ice when shaking your Martini. The smaller cubes will melt too quickly when you mix the cocktail, resulting in a watered-down drink, so make sure you go for larger ones to keep the drink stiff and strong – how it should be.