Shaken? Stirred? With a splash of cranberry juice? No matter how you take them, martinis have become an iconic beverage thanks to movie heroes like James Bond. Martinis are classy cocktails that are fun to order at social gatherings like dates, bachelorette parties, or wedding receptions. For this study, we compiled a list of popular martini flavors and found out which one is the most popular in every state using Google Trends data. Find out which martini your state is mad about below!
Martini Madness: Each State’s Favorite Flavor
Between the president and other high-profile elected officials, Washington, D.C., is home to many busy people. Capitol Hill is always on the move, so it’s no surprise their favorite martini features a jolt of caffeine to jumpstart their evenings. Washingtonians’ flavor of choice is the espresso martini, which features Kahlúa coffee liqueur, vodka, and one strong espresso — definitely not for the faint of heart!
Predictably, the Peach State’s most popular martini flavor was, well, peach. The people of Georgia know peaches better than anyone else in the nation, so if you ever find yourself in the famed fourth state, be sure to order a peach martini. This martini is fully decked out with peach purée, peach schnapps, and a garnish of fresh peach slices, making it one of the sweetest treats the American South has to offer.
Floridians prefer passion fruit martinis over any other flavor. These popular martinis feature passion fruit liqueur, vanilla vodka, passion fruit purée, and a shot of Champagne or prosecco for good measure. Florida’s humid subtropical climate makes it a great place to grow fresh and flavorful fruits, like passion fruit.
The Most Popular Martini Flavor in the U.S.
Pineapple martinis won over the nation in a landslide victory, claiming 12 states altogether. From New Jersey to Washington, pineapple martinis were the most popular martini flavor from coast to coast. Pineapple martinis are sweet, delicious, and straightforward, making them a popular choice among patrons all over the nation. All you need to make one of these martinis for yourself is pineapple juice, vodka, and fresh-squeezed lime juice.
Chocolate and cosmopolitan martinis tied for second place in the battle for the most popular martini in the country. Both martini flavors won five states each, and it’s easy to see why. When it comes to treating the chocolate lover in your life, you can’t go wrong with a chocolate martini. Many chocolate martinis feature chocolate liqueur and a generous amount of chocolate syrup or ganache to satisfy the sweetest sweet tooth.
Cosmopolitan martinis, or just cosmos, are an elegant combination of vodka, triple sec, cranberry, and lime juice. Cosmo martinis made their debut in the ’30s but didn’t become popular until the ’90s, thanks in part to the hit HBO show Sex and the City, where the protagonist, Carrie Bradshaw, made it her martini of choice.
If you’re curious about where all the James Bond fanatics are hiding in the U.S., your answer might be a martini glass away. Vesper martinis were the most searched-for martini flavor in Nebraska, Oregon, and West Virginia. This famous martini was invented by Bond author Ian Fleming and popularized thanks to the novel and movie Casino Royale. According to Fleming, this martini consists of Gordon’s London dry gin, vodka, Kina Lillet, and a large, thin slice of lemon peel — shaken, not stirred, of course.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you take them shaken or stirred, martinis are an iconic beverage suitable for secret-agent socials, bachelorette parties, and romantic nights out. With so many flavors to choose from, it’s easy to find one you’ll enjoy sipping on during your next date night or social gathering.
No wedding reception bar is complete without a great martini on the menu. While it may be challenging to decide which martini you want to serve guests on your big day, we make it easy to pick the perfect wedding bands for you and your partner.
Methodology
To learn which martinis were being ordered the most across the U.S., we compiled a list of popular martini flavors using sources like Delish, The Spruce Eats, and the BBC. From those sources, we ended with a list of 52 of the most popular martini flavors. Finally, we ran our list of iconic martini flavors through Google Trends to analyze online search interest between October 2021 and October 2022.
