8 Best Vodkas for a Dirty Martini, According to Spirits Critics

 

The dirty martini is an unforgiving drink. With nothing more than vodka, dry vermouth and olive brine in the glass, there is nowhere to hide — which means the bottle you choose matters more than in almost any other cocktail. Too neutral and the drink falls flat; too harsh and the brine amplifies every rough edge. What you want is a vodka with enough character and body to hold its own against the salt and fat of the olive, while staying smooth enough to drink with ease.

For a full breakdown and recipe of the dirty martini, click here. Once you have your recipe figured out, it’s time to decide which vodka (or gin — we’ll have to do a list of the best gins for a martini soon!) you’ll base the drink around.

These eight vodkas below were selected by The Daily Pour’s editorial team for their performance specifically in a dirty martini context, ranked by Critics’ Score — our proprietary metric that aggregates and averages ratings from the internet’s most trusted beverage critics.

8. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

ABV: 40% | Price: $23

Tito’s is the most-poured vodka in America for a reason: It’s clean, approachable and plays well with almost everything. Distilled six times from corn in pot stills in Austin, Texas, it delivers a slightly sweet, very neutral profile that lets the olive brine take center stage in a dirty martini. It won’t add complexity, but it won’t fight the drink either — and at under $25 it’s the easiest way to keep a well-stocked bar ready for martini night without any anxiety about cost.

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7. Hangar 1 Straight Vodka

ABV: 40% | Price: $26

Produced at Hangar 1 Distillery in Alameda, California, this craft vodka is blended from wheat and Viognier wine grapes — an unusual combination that gives it a silky, slightly fruity texture that sets it apart from purely grain-based competitors. The grape component adds a softness and body that translates well in a dirty martini, where mouthfeel matters as much as flavor. It’s a thoughtful, well-made bottle at an accessible price that earns its place on any serious home bar.

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6. Chopin Potato Vodka

ABV: 40% | Price: $35

Chopin makes a strong argument for making the switch from wheat to potato. Produced in Poland from Stobrawa potatoes, it delivers a creamy, full-bodied profile with an earthy richness that pairs extraordinarily well with olive brine. Where wheat vodkas provide a clean canvas, Chopin adds weight and depth — the combination of potato creaminess and olive fat creates a luxurious dirty martini.

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5. Grey Goose Vodka

ABV: 40% | Price: $35

Distilled from single-origin Picardie winter wheat in France and blended with water from the Gensac-la-Pallue spring, Grey Goose is the gold standard of clean, elegant wheat vodkas. Its silky texture and subtle almond-and-citrus character make it a natural fit for a dirty martini — the wheat sweetness rounds out the brine beautifully without competing with it. It’s been a martini bar staple for decades, and that reputation is earned.

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4. Belvedere Vodka

ABV: 40% | Price: $39

Poland’s Belvedere is made from Dankowskie Diamond rye — a specific heritage grain that gives it a faintly spicy, characterful quality that sets it apart from wheat-based competitors. That rye backbone is a particular asset in a dirty martini: where wheat vodkas let the brine lead, Belvedere creates a subtle interplay between grain spice and olive salt that makes the drink more complex and interesting sip by sip. It’s a martini vodka with genuine personality, and a compelling case for rye over wheat.

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3. Ketel One Vodka

ABV: 40% | Price: $24

Produced in Schiedam, Netherlands, using a combination of pot still and column distillation, Ketel One has long been a go-to for serious martini drinkers. Made from 100% non-GMO European wheat, it delivers a crisp, clean profile with a subtle citrus note and a satisfying weight on the palate. That texture — firmer than many wheat vodkas — is exactly what you want in a dirty martini, giving the drink a backbone that holds up to a generous pour of olive brine.

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2. Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka

ABV: 40% | Price: $23

Zubrowka is one of the most distinctive vodkas in the world. This Polish rye spirit is infused with bison grass from the Bialowieza Forest, giving it a faint herbal, vanilla and almond character unlike anything else in the category. In a dirty martini, that herbal quality adds a savory dimension that complements olive brine in a genuinely unexpected way, creating a drink with more layers than a standard martini has any right to have. At around $23, it’s also one of the best bargains on this list — a bottle that delivers character well above its price point.

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1. Absolut Elyx

ABV: 42.3% | Price: $42

Absolut Elyx takes the top spot, and a dirty martini made with it makes the case plainly. Single-estate wheat vodka from a single harvest, distilled in a 1921 copper still, the copper contact produces an unusually silky, almost oily mouthfeel that coats the palate in a way most vodkas simply can’t match. In a dirty martini, that texture is everything — the brine melts into the spirit with no rough edges, the slightly higher proof adds structure without heat and the result is one of the most refined versions of the cocktail you can make at home. It’s the priciest bottle on this list, but the martini it produces justifies every penny.

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Selections are chosen by The Daily Pour’s editorial team and ranked by The Daily Pour’s Critics’ Score, a proprietary metric that aggregates and averages ratings from the internet’s most trusted beverage critics.