If you are looking for the best olives for Bloody Mary drinks, the type of olive you use makes a difference. Each type of olive brings different flavors, and each brand brings a unique take. From buttery Castelvetrano to spicy varieties, there are a lot of options.
Best Green Olive Brands
Mina Pitted Green Olive
These Mina Moroccan Olives are perfect for your Bloody Mary. They are organic, with low sodium and no artificial flavors or colors. Mina only uses carefully selected olives which are cured in small batches using only water and sea salt. They are mild without a bitter aftertaste and are Kosher certified, too. No mess and absolutely delicious.
Divina Organic Green Olive
The pitted olives from Divina are USDA-certified organic. They are the traditional Greek flavor without any added pesticides or preservatives. There is one thing to keep in mind with this Divina product, which is that they are processed in a facility that also processes milk and tree nuts.
Sanniti Pitted Castelvetrano Olives
Sanniti is a product of Italy. They have a buttery, mild flavor that is finished with a crisp bite. This makes it a perfect complement to a spicy, bold Bloody Mary.
Best Stuffed Olive Varieties
Mezzetta Super Colossal Spanish Queen Olives Pimienta Stuffed
A loaded Bloody Mary needs a smattering of over-the-top garnishes. These Mezzetta Super Colossal Pimienta Stuffed Spanish Queen Olives are perfect for the job. The stuffing is soft and smooth, while the outside provides a nice snappy bite. Mezzetta is a family-owned company in Napa Valley, too.
Filthy Pepper Olives
If you like a bit of heat, these Filthy Pepper Olives are excellent. They are stuffed with a small Moroccan Piri Piri pepper that has a bit of heat that releases slowly and builds as you eat them. These are all-natural and get bathed in the oil-free Filthy brine. Add a few of these with a bit of the brine to your Bloody Mary for a surprising burst of flavor.
Divina Sweet Pepper Olives
Divina is at it again with their Sweet Pepper Olives. They hand stuff each one with Florina red pepper. A slightly acidic flavor compliments the smoky pepper and creates the best balance.
Blue Cheese Olives
Pearls Specialities Blue Cheese Stuffed Queen Olives
Pearls Specialties Hand-Stuffed Blue Cheese Queen Olives are crunchy with smooth, tangy blue cheese. Pearls are the brand of the Musco family that has been olive farmers in Sicily since the 18th century with a focus on a nearly zero waste processing model. The best part of these? The blue cheese melts into the olive brine a bit which makes it cloudy and amps up the flavor even more.
Mezzetta Bleu Cheese Olives
The Mezzetta Bleu Cheese option is just as good as the Pimenta ones. Whether you prefer dirty martinis or Bloody Marys, these do the trick for both.
Redhawk Farms Bleu Cheese Olives
Redhawk Farms is an artisanal brand that jars gourmet foods in small batches in the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country. As you can imagine, their Bleu Cheese variety is excellent. They hand-select the best and largest, then fill them with creamy bleu cheese and preserve them in a vinegar brine. The vinegar brine not only keeps them fresh for longer but adds a nice acidity as well.
Garlic Stuffed Olives
Santa Barbara Olive Co Garlic Olives
Santa Barbara has paid attention to the details with their hand-stuffed olives. Each olive is picked for its large size, carefully pitted, and then stuffed by hand with a whole clove. Add a garlicky bite to your Bloody Marys and serve these on a cocktail pick.
Jeff’s Natural Garlic Stuffed Olive
Jeff’s Natural Olives are hand-stuffed with locally grown garlics from Gilroy, California, and they only use colossal-sized for maximum flavor. Jeff’s are also non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, and have no artificial ingredients. They add a bit of garlicky extract to the brine as well, so add a bit to your Bloody Mary drink for a taste that is unrivaled.
Green Jay Gourmet Garlic Olives
Green Jay stuffs their Halkidiki varieties with garlic, then bathes them in a vinegar brine so the taste becomes salty and umami with the perfect bite of acidity. These are heaven in a jar and are perfect for Bloody Marys or other cocktails like a dirty martini.
Jalapeno Stuffed Olives
Tassos Double Stuffed Jalapeno and Garlic Olives
Looking for the best of both worlds? Tassos Double Stuffed Olives should be a bar staple. They are huge and all-natural, with a superb balance of spice and garlicky taste.
Sable & Rosenfield Vodka Kicked Jalapeno Tipsy Olives
Add an extra kick to your beverage with these tipsy jalapeno gems from Sable & Rosenfield. These are preserved in vodka, vinegar, and salt and filled with jalapeno. These are a fantastic choice for a boozy snack.
Member’s Mark Jalapeno & Garlic Olives
Member’s Mark is the Sam’s Club store brand, but don’t let that fool you. These are high quality, imported from Halkidiki, Greece, and filled with both jalapeno and garlic for maximum flavor. These do have quite a bit of salt, but that makes for an excellent compliment to a Bloody Mary since tomatoes only get better with salt.
Buying Guide
Types of Olives
The two most common types of olives for cocktails are green and castelvetrano. A green olive is tangy and slightly bitter with meaty flesh. A castelvetrano olive is a bit more sweet and buttery with a softer texture.
Besides choosing the variety, you’ll also need to consider whether you want them to be pitted or stuffed. Pitted olives focus on the pure flavor of the fruit, while stuffed versions complement the profile of the olive with other ingredients.
All of these options will skewer just fine on a martini pick or cocktail pick and are delicious. It is all about what you prefer.
Using the Olive Brine
A big tip for making the perfect Bloody Mary is to use olive brine, too. Though keep in mind that you should avoid any brines with corn syrup, too much salt, or a ton of spices so as not to overpower the cocktail. A brine with coriander, for instance, may be too overwhelming.
If you don’t like biting into an olive, we recommend a jar of Dirty Sue Olive Juice instead so you can get the unique addition in your cocktail without having to actually eat them. Then you can just add these to your cocktails with cocktail onions or pickles.
Other Drinks for Olives
Olives are a versatile food, and when it comes to garnishes, they are a go-to. From gin martinis with juniper notes to Bloody Marys and other vodka drinks, a jar goes a long way behind the bar. Choosing a quality olive brand is vital so that you can make a dirty martini or Bloody Mary or add them to a gin and tonic, depending on your cravings for the day.
FAQs
What olives are best for cocktails?
Castelvetrano or Greek are the best Bloody Mary olives and the best for cocktails in general.
What is a good garnish for a Bloody Mary?
A martini olive, cocktail onions, a lemon twist, bacon, and meaty additions are good garnishes for a Bloody Mary.
Are there olives in a Bloody Mary?
Olives are not typically in a Bloody Mary as a cocktail ingredient, though they are a popular garnish for a Bloody Mary. Olive brine is sometimes used as an ingredient.
Key Takeaways
- The best olives for a Bloody Mary depend on your tastes though castelvetrano are popular pitted olives to go with.
- When choosing which jar to go with, consider the variety, the other ingredients, and how versatile it will be behind your bar.
- The various flavors of olives available are diverse and interesting.
- An olive or two can also be used to garnish a dirty martini or any savory cocktail.
