Rinse Your Dirty Martini Glass With Scotch For More Flavor

Hardcore fans of the classic martini may tell you that no drink equals the flavor of a pure, ice-cold cocktail made with just gin (or vodka), vermouth, and an olive or lemon peel garnish — but the one exception might be the dirty twist on the drink. According to Wine Enthusiast, the dirty martini is believed to have originated in 1901, but it wasn't known by that name until late in the 20th century. 

It is simply a standard martini, but with the addition of olive brine. Unlike other classic cocktails, not much has been altered in the dirty martini recipe. Different people have their preferences on how much brine is ideal and which kinds of olives should be skewered on top, but the ingredients have remained the same for the most part.

While the martini has seen its fair share of adjustments since its inception, like adding just about every flavored vodka under the sun, its dirty cousin remained under the radar — until now, perhaps. Esquire substitutes caperberries for olives in its version of the cocktail, and others are using dill pickles and pepperoncini, per Love to Know. 

Though different, salt and brine appear to have remained steadfast in the drink. But what about bringing in another dimension of flavor altogether? There would be no substitutions or additions per se — instead, just a slight rinse of a strong drink that would complement the savoriness of a dirty martini perfectly.

Pepper isn't the only flavor that works well with the saltiness of a dirty martini — smoke does as well (via Lifehacker). And you don't have to invest in a trendy home smoker kit, just open up a bottle of Scotch. As explained in Paste Magazine, peat moss is often involved in making Scotch whisky along with heated malted barley. As the peat burns, the smoke is embedded into the grain, thus, giving Scotch its smoky flavor. So if you want to impart a more robust taste to your dirty martini, just swirl a spoonful of Scotch in your empty martini glass first and then pour in your strained dirty martini. 

John McCarthy, the cocktail director of Masa y Agave, explains that the reason you rinse any sort of glass with a spirit is to add an accent of flavor, not to change the flavor completely. So after you've swirled the alcohol to coat the inside of the glass, you'll want to discard the excess, per YouTube. Whether or not you get rid of it by simply drinking it, that's up to you — and while you can garnish your Scotch-scented dirty martini as you usually would, Lifehacker recommends it would be particularly tasty with cheese or nut-stuffed olives.