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

"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?"

"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.""

Classic martinis consist only of gin or vodka and dry vermouth, garnished with a twist, olive, or optional olive/pickle brine for a dirty variation. Apricot brandy adds pronounced fruity sweetness that shifts the martini away from its clean, spirit-forward character. Apricot brandy suits other cocktail styles and benefits from recipes that balance its sweetness with citrus or bitters. For an apricot-focused cocktail, gin's floral botanicals complement apricot brandy better than vodka's neutral profile. Apricot brandy deserves inclusion in a home bar for use in fruit-forward mixed drinks like an apricot martini or intimate martini.

Read at Tasting Table