Mexican Martini (Mex-Mart)

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (19 ratings)

Photographed in an Urban Bar Freddo Coupe Glass

Ingredients:
1 13 oz Patrón Reposado tequila
34 oz Cointreau triple sec liqueur
34 oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
14 oz Olive brine (from jarred olives)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
  2. RIM glass with salt (moisten outside edge with lime or orange juice and dip into salt).
  3. Prepare garnish of lime wedge & 3 skewered three pimiento-stuffed Fragata Green Olives.
  4. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  5. STRAIN into pre-prepared glass.
  6. Garnish with lime wedge on rim and skewered olives.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 8/10

Review:

Not another Neo-Martini but an olive brine-enriched Margarita.

View readers' comments

AKA: Texas Martini, Dirty Margarita

History:

Adapted from a cocktail served at the Cedar Door Patio Bar and Grill in Austin, Texas, USA, since the early 1980s after one of its bartenders, named Ellen, was served a Margarita while on vacation in Matamoros, Mexico. Ellen took the idea back to the Cedar Door's owners, Gus and Diane Koerner and their longstanding bartender, Jim LeMond, created the recipe and added what would become the bar's signature cocktail to the menu.

Nutrition:

One serving of Mexican Martini (Mex-Mart) contains 151 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.3 standard drinks
  • 19.87% alc./vol. (19.87° proof)
  • 18.4 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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William Smith’s Avatar William Smith
5th June at 21:17
I had one, or maybe two, at the Cedar Door back in 2014. This is the drink that got me started mixing cocktails.
John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
21st March 2024 at 01:13
Had this cocktail again with Mexican food. It went perfectly as it is basically a margarita with a little olive brine. Brings out a savoury flavour which goes well with the food.
John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
18th June 2023 at 00:10
Went perfectly as an aperitif before a Mexican supper. The brine from the olives went wonderfully. The saltiness of the brine works well with the lime and triple sec.
Pekka Savolainen’s Avatar Pekka Savolainen
19th May 2023 at 21:00
Exceptional. Just wondering what to do with leftover olives…
Jakub Piechowicz ’s Avatar Jakub Piechowicz
21st May 2023 at 16:32
Hmm, eat?