Highwayman’s Olive Leaf Martini
At Halifax’s Highwayman, the dirty martini is one of the most-ordered classic cocktails, so the team there knew they had to have their own house version. The result—created by Keegan McGregor, bar manager and 2024’s World Class Global Bartender of the Year—is inspired by the Bamboo, a sherry-based cocktail, and contains gin infused with olive leaves for a subtly grassy sip that’s not too salt-heavy.
Ingredients
Olive-Leaf-Infused Gin
- 7.5 g olive leaves
- 1 bottle Tanqueray No. Ten Gin
Cocktail
- 1 oz olive-leaf-infused gin
- 1 oz fino sherry
- ½ oz dry vermouth
- ½ oz white vermouth
- 1 bar spoon Pedro Ximénez sherry
- 1 bar spoon guindilla brine
- Ice
- 1 guindilla pepper for garnish
- 1 olive for garnish
Instructions
Olive Leaf-Infused Gin:
- In large mason jar, combine olive leaves and gin and store at room temperature for 24 hours. Strain through coffee filter to remove particles.
Cocktail:
- In mixing tin, combine olive-leaf-infused gin, fino sherry, dry vermouth, white vermouth, Pedro Ximénez sherry and guindilla brine. Add ice and stir for 20 seconds to chill and dilute.
- Strain into frozen coupe glass and garnish with guindilla pepper and olive.