3 Simple Ways to Elevate Your Martini, According to Bartenders

The Martini is inescapable. From its origins as a gin-based take on the Manhattan to today’s zany, savory iterations, the drink has become a beloved global staple. And while Dry and Dirty are standard, there are endless ways to tweak the recipe to yield standout versions that both honor and push the boundaries of what a Martini can be.

But sometimes, those changes nudge the cocktail too far. Lychee and Espresso versions are now de rigueur, but do we really need Martinis inspired by trendy desserts or tinned fish? And we don’t mean just garnished with something odd. Sure, extravagant garnishes can also push a drink into overwrought territory, but we want to look at alterations to the cocktail spec itself.

To find out how to approach making a Martini that stands out without going overboard, we tapped a few experts who have shaken — and stirred — up their share of Martinis of all types. But first, what makes a riff recognizable as a Martini?

For Will Thompson, managing partner at Sunny’s in Miami, the base has to come through: “Usually, if it tastes like something other than gin and vermouth, that’s a good clue [it’s not a Martini],” he says. Shawn Lickliter, co-owner of Vandell in Los Angeles, defines a Martini by the texture, dilution, and balance. “I’m looking for something that’s oddly boozy but also crushable at the same time,” he explains. And for Kathryn “Pepper” Stashek, creative bartender at Kabawa and Bar Kabawa in New York City, the key signifier is visual. “It doesn’t need to be the iconic V-shaped glass, but if the drink comes in a stemmed cocktail glass, that can be a sign that it’s a Martini riff.” With that settled, we asked the pros how to jazz up the classic spec.

Swap the Vermouth

Vermouth is an aromatized, fortified wine, so it makes sense to swap it out for another fortified wine with a different flavor profile. Thompson’s personal order calls for manzanilla sherry. Stashek agrees and suggests replacing some or all of the vermouth with manzanilla or fino, both dry sherries, to add an extra dimension of flavor to the drink. She uses fino and vermouth in the coconut water Martini that won VinePair’s 2026 Martini Madness competition.

Swap the Brine

For Dirty Martini lovers, olive brine is standard, but there are plenty of other salty solutions that can bring the same pucker and salinity along with additional flavor notes. At Vandell, there are two Martinis on the menu. The Vandell Martini uses tarragon vinegar as the sour element, and the Olive Martini features an amped-up brine made with smoked olives, shio koji, and yuzu. Both bring savory, salty, and citrusy notes in an unexpected way.

While Vandell makes those additions in house, it’s just as easy to use something store bought. Lately, capers seem to be having a moment; try using their brine in your cocktail and their berries as a garnish. There’s also a whole world of pickled peppers whose brines make punchy Martinis. Plus, there’s always pickles.

For those who are willing to put in some work, “I remember being served some very fresh, very lightly smoked salmon with a Martini and thinking it tasted very good,” Thompson shares, so why not take inspiration from that and mix a brine with the same herbs and spices used in gravlax. Dill and peppercorn would not be out of place when used with a juniper-forward gin.

Improve It

We don’t just mean give it a gold star. The “improved” cocktail dates back to the 1800s when the cocktail canon was being established and new liqueurs were making their way into the hands of bartenders. Generally, an “improved” drink has a few dashes of Maraschino liqueur or absinthe added to the mix, but Thompson suggests using anything fancy you have lying around, like those or something like Chartreuse.

You can also use another base spirit here as long as it’s in a small enough quantity that it doesn’t overpower the gin or vodka you’ve chosen. “I’ve had really good Martini variations that have incorporated aquavit or mezcal,” Stashek mentions, both of which bring citrusy or herbaceous flavors traditionally seen in Martini garnishes.

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