Brian Nagele
Chances are you’ve put a lot of thought into what makes the perfect martini. You’ve carefully selected the distilled liquor that you want to use as a base. You’ve thought about the other ingredients which will impact the flavor of your martini. But what about the olives you use?
While you may regard these as a mere garnish, choosing the right olives for your martini or other cocktails will be essential. This is because choosing the best olives for your favorite cocktail can help to better the flavor profile, leaving you with a much tastier drink.
So how can you find the best olives for martinis and other cocktails? We’ve done all the research for you so that you don’t have to. Let’s take a look at the best olives for martinis in more detail down below.
Mezzetta Spanish Queen Olives
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When it comes to crafting the perfect martini, Spanish Queen olives are the creme de la creme of olives. This particular brand of olives, Mezzetta Spanish Queen Olives, was even made famous by the James Bond films in the 50s and 60s for its use in martinis.
Spanish Queen olives give you the perfect flavor profile and texture for crafting superior martinis. These olives give you the meaty texture that you’re after, and they are firm enough to be skewered as a garnish. This will make it the perfect complement to your martini.
The flavor of these Mezzetta Spanish Queen Olives will perfectly balance your martini. The olives themselves are slightly salty in flavor, which is then balanced by the sweetness of the stuffed pimiento. These olives are super versatile and can also be used in other cocktails such as Bloody Marys.
Pros:
- Spanish Queen olives – most widely used for martinis
- High quality – to ensure that you only have the best quality olives for your martinis
- Firm texture – makes it the perfect complement to your martini
Cons:
- Pricey – some customers felt the olives were on the pricey side
Kirkland Signature Pimento Stuffed Spanish Queen Olives
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If you want the best type of olives for martinis at a more affordable price, then you should opt for these Kirkland Signature Pimento Stuffed Spanish Queen Olives. These particular olives are available in multipacks of 2 jars. So you’ll get twice the tasty olives that you need for your cocktails.
These particular olives feature the Spanish Queen olive variety. This is the most popular variety to use with martinis because the flavor and texture of the olives can stand up to the taste of your martini. They are firm enough to be skewered and will soak up the delicious liquor in your drink for a unique flavor profile.
Perhaps the best thing about these olives is that you don’t have to use both jars all in one go. These olives come with an impressive shelf life of 2 years if left unopened. So you can use one jar now, and save your next jar of olives for your next cocktail evening!
Pros:
- Multipack – you’ll get 2 jars of tasty olives
- Spanish Queen olives – the most popular type of olives used in martinis
- Long lasting – can survive for 2 years on your shelf if left unopened
Cons:
- Stuffed – not everyone may like stuffed olives in their martini
Green Jay Gourmet Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives
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Fancy a savory twist with your dirty martini? Then these Green Jay Gourmet Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives are the olives you should opt for. These particular olives have been stuffed with blue cheese, then generously bathed in a vinegar brine to bring out the best in your cocktails. This can give your martini or other cocktails the flavorful punch that it needs.
You won’t have to worry about these olives letting you down. Only the best quality olives have been selected for these Green Jay Gourmet Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives. These particular olives have been sourced from the Halkidiki region in Greece to give you the best flavors.
These olives will be the perfect choice for your dirty martini because they have been packed in brine. This brine can also be used in your martini to give it a little extra flavor.
Pros:
- Blue cheese stuffed – packs a flavorful punch with your martinis and other cocktails
- High quality – only superior quality olives have been selected for each pack
- Brine – olives have been preserved in brine to give your cocktails more flavor
Cons:
- Pricey – one of the pricier options on our list
Sanniti Pitted Castelvetrano Olives
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These Sanniti Pitted Castelvetrano Olives make a great addition to a variety of cocktails, including martinis and Bloody Marys. This is because of their great flavor profile. These Sanniti Pitted Castelvetrano Olives have a milder, buttery flavor that makes them a great fit for cocktails.
Perhaps one of the best things about these olives is that they are preserved in brine. This will make them the perfect fit for cocktails such as martinis because you can use this brine to add a dash of flavor to your drink.
If you’re not a fan of stuffed olives, then you will love these Sanniti Pitted Castelvetrano Olives. These olives have been pitted to remove the stone, but haven’t been stuffed. So you can enjoy the flavor of the olive with your martini.
Pros:
- Flavor and texture – features a mild, buttery flavor with the crisp texture you need
- Brine preserved – gives your martini that extra flavor kick it needs
- Versatile – can be used in Bloody Marys or other cocktails as well as martinis
Cons:
- Softer – better suited for sitting in your martini glass rather than on a skewer
Mario Camacho Foods Manzanilla Spanish Olives
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The Mario Camacho Foods Manzanilla Spanish Olives are another fantastic alternative to the Spanish Queen olives. These olives give you a firm texture for skewering, and they are also ideal for stuffing. These olives come ready stuffed to give your martini more depth of flavor.
Manzanilla olives are just the thing you need in your martini. These olives have been stored in brine, so will give your martini that extra flavorful kick that you’re after. You can even use some of this brine in your drink.
You’ll get even better value for money with these jarred olives. These come in a multipack, giving you 6 jars of tasty Manzanilla olives to use in your cocktails.
Pros:
- Multipack – gives you 6 jars of olives to use for your cocktails
- Manzanilla olives – perfect for using in your martinis
- Stuffed olives – ideal for those who prefer stuffed olives in their martinis
Cons:
- Pricey – one of the more expensive olives on our list
Sable & Rosenfeld Tipsy Olives
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Want to give your martinis that extra boozy punch? Then these Sable & Rosenfeld Tipsy Olives are the olives you should opt for as a garnish. These particular olives have been stored in French Vermouth, giving them that little extra kick they need to elevate your martini to the next level.
Out of Vermouth in your liquor cabinet? Simply use some of the Vermouth brine from this jar of olives. This will give your martini even better flavors, as these olives have been packaged and designed with martinis in mind. You can also use them for other cocktails should you wish to.
What’s really great about these olives is that they will give you the firm texture that you’re after. This makes them perfect for skewering as a garnish in your martini.
Pros:
- Firm – gives you the perfect texture for skewering
- Vermouth – olives have been soaked in French Vermouth for added flavor
- Martini specific – designed with martinis in mind
Cons:
- Pricey – some customers felt the olives were on the pricey side
Goya Cocktail Olives Pitted Manzanilla Spanish Olives
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Another great choice for your martinis are these Goya Cocktail Olives Pitted Manzanilla Spanish Olives. These particular olives feature the Manzanilla variety from Spain, which is a popular choice for use with martinis. These olives are similar in flavor to the Spain Queen olive but are slightly nutty in flavor. This works well with the brine they are preserved in.
What’s really great about these jarred olives is the brine they have been preserved in. This is because you can use your olive brine in your martinis to give them that little extra flavor.
Another great feature of these olives is that they are available in multipacks. This will give you even better value for your money, as you will have plenty of olives ready to use in your store cupboard.
Pros:
- Multipacks – available in several multipacks
- Manzanilla olives – one of the best varieties to use with martinis
- Brine preserved – helps to give your martinis even better flavor
Cons:
- No single jar – you will need to purchase one of the multipacks
How to Choose the Best Olives for Martinis and Other Cocktails
There are two main things that you will need to bear in mind when choosing the best olives for your martini or other cocktails. These are a firm texture, and making sure that you opt for a green variety preserved in brine, not oil.
You will need your olives to be firm enough to cope with a skewer being placed through them. There’s nothing worse than a sad, limp olive that falls apart the minute you try to place them on the skewer. It also makes the olives harder to eat if they’ve fallen apart in your drink. You should opt for a firmer olive that can withstand a skewer through its middle.
Green olives are a staple for martinis and are more likely to be used for their delicate flavor instead of their black counterparts. You should opt for a green olive that has been preserved in brine, not oil, as this will help to give a certain flavor profile to your martini.
If you’re wondering whether to opt for a pitted or stuffed olive, this will entirely come down to your personal preference. You will need to ensure that there are no stones in your chosen olive as you will struggle to get the skewer through them otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are There 3 Olives in a Martini?
You may often see martinis with olives in groups of three, or even just a single olive. But why are olives always grouped in 3? This is because there is a superstition that it is bad luck to have an even number of olives in your drink.
Your olives will typically soak up some of the flavors from the spirits in your drink. Most people will tend to eat one olive when they receive their drink, then gradually eat the other 2 olives gradually once they have soaked up some flavor from the martini.
What is the Difference Between Manzanilla and Queen Olives?
The main difference between these two varieties of olive is that Manzanilla olives have a neutral taste with a crisp texture, which makes them ideal for stuffing.
Spanish Queen olives have a mild flavor to them, with a meaty texture and they are semi-firm. Manzanilla tends to be one of the more widely available olives, whereas Spanish Queen olives are more widely used with martinis and other cocktails.
So there you have it! You now know all there is to know about the best olives for martinis and other cocktails. All of the products that we have reviewed in more detail above will be perfect for bringing out the very best in your martini cocktail, no matter what base distilled liquor you have opted for.
Now that you’ve got your olives all picked out, it’s time to choose your dry vermouth brand!
Which olives do you prefer for your martinis? Let us know down below in a comment!
