The Salmon Martini Truly Toes The Line Between Cursed And Classy

The world is not in short supply of martinis, from classic gins to fruity twists. There are tried-and-true favorites including espresso martinis, as well as lesser-known versions like dirty martinis spiked with hot sauce. Ultimately, it feels like the martini universe has seen it all. Nothing can shock us anymore — or so we thought, until we stumbled upon the salmon martini.

Yes, salmon martinis are actually a thing, and it's hard to know whether to be delighted or disgusted. But if one thing is certain, it piques our interest, because this variation toes the line between cursed and classy. The long-stemmed martini glass oozes elegance while the briny flavor highlights that the name isn't just for show. This cocktail is, indeed, made with salmon.

All this begs the question: What exactly is in a salmon martini? And does it even taste good? Luckily, we've gone on a fishing expedition to uncover all the details. So if you're looking to shake up your cocktail routine (or simply dying of curiosity), read on.

Yes, a salmon martini contains salmon, but don't expect flaky chunks of fish in your cocktail. Martinis are far too classy for such a thing. Instead, a salmon martini should look similar to a standard martini but have subtle hints of smoke or brine, depending on how it's made.

There are a couple of ways to put the salmon in a salmon martini. The first method is far quicker than the second and also provides an aesthetic touch. It involves using salmon roe, otherwise known as raw salmon eggs. These bright orange-red spheres can be dropped into the bottom of the glass before double-straining your martini directly over top. The roe will add a burst of color along with a salty flavor. But to achieve that salmon-rose color, you'll need to improvise. Use pink gin or add a touch of pink lemonade to your final product.

Our second method is more involved but worth the effort. Hey, if you're making a salmon martini, you may as well go all in, right? Start by creating salmon-infused gin. This is actually easier than it sounds since it simply involves combining smoked salmon and gin in a sealed container. However, infusing liquor takes time, and you'll need roughly three weeks to create the final product. When your liquor is ready, use it in a classic or dirty martini garnished with a pickled caperberry.

Are you still skeptical about salmon martinis? Honestly, there's nothing fishy about them — well, except the flavor (but in a good way). However, if you don't believe us, we can't blame you. Salmon martinis push the boundaries of what's considered a classy cocktail and it's hard to imagine the combination of flavors. To give you a non-biased view, we've scoured the internet for reviews to discover what people are really saying about salmon-inspired cocktails.

A salmon martini by Food & Wine garnered a positive review, with one home-mixologist expressing pleasant surprise: "This was really good, I was prepared for it to give me 'the ick' but I loved it, even my mom and brother who were very skeptical loved it." Meanwhile, another commenter noted that infusing gin with salmon was quite wasteful since the actual salmon would not be consumed.

If you'd rather not create your own seafood-infused liquor, you can always use Alaska Distilled Smoked Salmon Flavored Vodka. A consumer on Reddit wrote, "This actually isn't too bad. Good for some cocktails, but not straight." While this gives us some hope for the salmon martini, the consensus on the thread was this spirit was best for Bloody Marys, but even that wasn't unanimous. As it appears, the jury is split on salmon-inspired cocktails, but why take their word for it? Make a salmon martini and be the judge.