Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Olive Infusion
- 375 ml dry vermouth
- 120 g cerignola olives, chopped
Cocktail Assembly
- 45 ml navy-strength gin
- 45 ml olive-infused vermouth
- ½ ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 mixed olives, whole
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Combine 375ml dry vermouth and 120g chopped Cerignola olives in a glass container. Seal the lid and store at room temperature for 3 days, shaking the container once every 24 hours.
Place a cocktail glass in the freezer for 5 minutes or fill it with ice water to chill.
Fill a mixing glass three-quarters full with ice. Add 45ml gin and 45ml of the prepared olive-infused vermouth.
Stir the mixture with a bar spoon for 30 seconds until the outside of the mixing glass feels very cold.
Strain the liquid into the chilled cocktail glass, discarding the ice.
Apply a few drops of olive oil to the surface of the drink using an eyedropper. Serve immediately with a side dish of mixed olives.
Chef's Notes
- For the olive infusion, ensure your vermouth is fresh. Stale vermouth will impart an unpleasant flavor, regardless of the olives used.
- Navy-strength gin provides a robust backbone for this cocktail, but a good quality London Dry gin can also be used if preferred. Adjust quantity based on your preference for alcohol strength.
- The key to a well-chilled cocktail is proper dilution and temperature. Stirring for the specified time ensures the drink is perfectly chilled without over-diluting.
- When adding the olive oil, do so carefully. A little goes a long way, and too much can make the drink feel greasy rather than adding aromatic complexity.
- Taste the olive-infused vermouth after the 3-day infusion. If you desire a stronger olive flavor, you can let it infuse for another day, but be cautious of it becoming bitter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 month — Store the infused vermouth component in a sealed container.
