The garnish has a big impact on the flavor of your martini. There are a million different options for garnishes, but here are the most common ones I encounter.

• Lemon Peel

• Olives

• Pearl Onion

Each provides its flavor and character to the drink. From bright to meaty, you can take your martini to the next level or destroy it.

Here is a fun experiment to do at home.

Mix a large batch of your favorite martini—the one that is perfectly balanced for you. Pick out the garnishes you want to experiment with. In this video, I chose lemon peel, olive, pearl onion, and orange peel. Strain a small portion of your martini into individual glasses (one for each garnish and your control). In this case, I needed five glasses. Any glass will work.

Place a garnish in each glass, except your control. Taste your control and each of your garnished martinis. Notice the differences?

It is also worth noting that a garnish can linger in a martini too long. The longer a lemon peel sits, the more oils make their way into the drink, eventually overpowering your delicate balance and making it bitter. The olive can add too many briny, salty flavors, etc.

I once experimented with fried bacon. It was a failure. The garnish didn’t improve the flavor of the martini, and the grease added an unwelcoming texture.

Experiment with different things and let me know your thoughts, or find a new and fun garnish.