Adding This Alcohol To Your Martini Can Give It A Uniquely Fruity Twist

These days, any cocktail served in a traditional martini glass is called a martini. But are they really martinis? Purists will argue that a perfect martini consists only of vodka or gin and dry vermouth, garnished perhaps with a twist of lime or lemon, or an olive, and if you like it dirty, a bit of olive or pickle brine. There's a rumor that claims adding apricot brandy will enhance a standard martini recipe, but wouldn't that make the cocktail too sweet, changing the savory nature of the classic recipe? Tasting Table asked David Kravitz, Beverage Director at The Group Hospitality (the group behind Olio e Più, Boucherie, and Omakase) whether this addition would enhance a traditional martini.

"I wouldn't recommend adding apricot brandy to a martini recipe," he advises. "Martinis are meant to be clean and spirit forward." So yes, apricot brandy will give the cocktail a fruity twist, but it will no longer be a classic martini. However, if your goal is to simply make an apricot martini, Kravitz prefers using gin over vodka. "I would suggest using gin," he says. "It's always a more interesting spirit. Vodka is simply a neutral canvas; it doesn't add or subtract much to a cocktail besides alcohol. The gin's floral botanicals would pair well with the fruitiness of the apricot brandy."

Even if it's not a great addition to a martini, apricot brandy is a delicious spirit that deserves a place in your home bar, especially once you know how to add it to cocktails where it will shine. "Apricot brandy is very sweet and works better in other cocktail styles," says Kravitz. There are a few cocktail recipes that call for its fruity sweetness, such as the intimate martini which is made combining vodka, apricot brandy, dry vermouth, and orange bitters. Other recipes for an apricot martini may include lemon juice and simple syrup, omitting the dry vermouth. 

There are many cocktails that use apricot brandy, which you should add to your mixology arsenal. A Baltimore Bang, for instance, is worth giving a try if you like whiskey sours. Or you can add apricot brandy to an Old Fashioned for a fruity twist that will complement the bourbon's oaky notes. Apricot brandy or liqueur will also work as a substitute in peach-flavored cocktails, such as a fuzzy navel, or you can add a glug to enhance your next batch of bellinis. Whatever you do, however, don't add it to your classic martini, as it will not enhance but hinder its savory simplicity.