As The New York Times noted in a Facebook post this week … in matters of dirty martinis, there’s seemingly no limit to how filthy consumers will take them.

“There’s not a lot of other drinks like it that are so salty, so savory. It’s like eating a pretzel,” the publication noted.

Commenters were quick to reveal just how dirty they like their martinis.

“I like mine dirtier than the floor of an Irish pub on St. Patrick’s Day,” said one.

 “I want one as dirty as Britney Spears feet in the 1990s. Or as dirty as a taco bell bathroom floor on Friday night,” said another.

According to Google, a “dirty martini” is a classic martini made with the addition of olive brine, which gives it a salty, savoury flavour. For a “dirtier” or “filthier” version, you can increase the amount of olive brine or add other brines like pickle, caper, or cocktail onion juice. 

But that’s pretty mundane compared to some of the viral dirty Martinis around the world that have both social media and bar hoppers hooked …

Scottie’s Martini – better known as the Garlic Bread Martini (pictured main) – is served at Italian-American seafood restaurant San Sabino in West Village, New York. 

Garlic, sourdough bread, dried oregano and chilies are sauteed in olive oil and butter, then blended with vodka and the mixture is frozen. The fat components are then separated and removed, leaving behind a garlic bread-infused vodka that is used to make the martini. The drink is then garnished with olives stuffed with feta and chopped cherry peppers.

Philadelphia Italian restaurant Fiorella serves a Dirty Pasta Water Martini that swaps dry vermouth for pasta water. It’s been a favourite with patrons since its debut.

The venue boils a pot of spaghetti, then cools the leftover liquid. Next, the reserved pasta water and olive brine are shaken vigorously with ice and gin or vodka for about 30 seconds until chilled. The drink is strained twice—once through a larger strainer, then through a fine mesh strainer and garnished with a skewer of olives.

TikTok creator Logan has attracted global attention with his Filthy Blue Cheese Martini. He infuses vodka with blue cheese for 24 hours then adds vermouth, olive brine, pickle juice, salt, pepper and olive oil.

He’s also created a Seafood Boil Martini with lobster-infused vodka and a Filthy Kimchi Infused Martini.

Not to be outdone, Sam the Bartender has created the Filthy, Dirty, Stinky Martini with vodka, olive brine and a splash of truffle oil.

Dolly Parton shared her unique twist on a classic Martini – the Dirt Road Martini – in her New York Times bestselling cookbook Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals, which she wrote with her sister Rachel Parton George.

Dolly uses tea and the brine from an Italian pickled vegetable relish called Giardiniera in her Martini recipe, which sounds exotic, but is available in Australia at Woolworths and other suppliers.

Get the recipe here.

Earlier this year, Jonesy and Amanda from Gold FM even made a Caesar Salad Martini on air. Its ingredients include Caesar salad dressing, olive juice and parmesan, garnished with an anchovy. Get the recipe here.

The Dirty, Spicy Caesar Salad Martini is also a popular menu item at O’Jung’s dive bar in South Philly. It is made with vodka, dry vermouth, olive juice, homemade Caesar dressing, buffalo sauce for a spicy kick, and is garnished with parmesan cheese and a pepperoncini or spicy hot pepper. Reviewers have described the drink as having a taste similar to a Bloody Mary.