Why is the Mexican martini—essentially a tequila-heavy margarita in a martini glass, with a splash of olive brine to make it “dirty”—so revered in Austin, Texas, but virtually nowhere else?
Neither Mexican nor a martini, the difficult-to-pinpoint cocktail is certainly worthy of a wider audience. But, like Ranch Water, another Texas favorite, the Mexican martini is particularly well-suited to Bat City’s unique culture and climate.
“Salty, tart, boozy, with a little kick of olive at the end? Tell me you want something else at the end of 45 days of 100-plus degree weather,” says Austin’s Tacy Rowland, a longtime bar manager and owner of Slow Luck NA Spirits. “Really, give it a chance—it’s hard to describe, but it’s one of those cocktails that if you’re craving [it], there’s no replacement.”
Here’s everything to know about this iconic, but underrated cocktail.
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What Is a Mexican Martini?
A mix of tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and olive brine, a good Mexican martini bounces between tart, sweet, savory, boozy and briny without ever landing on any one flavor profile. In other words: It’s perfectly balanced. Anyone hankering for a “not too sweet” marg, this is your drink—as long as you like olives.
In Austin, common additions include orange juice and Sprite, but these are more just a way to add bulk on the cheap (maybe because many places traditionally went big, serving glassfuls alongside an extra shaker-full of drink as
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
