Long gone are the days that vermouth gathers dust at the back of your drinks cupboard.
Bars are popping up all over London that are serving the drink straight up over ice - no doubt in response to the growing popularity of cocktail experimentation that began during lockdown.
If you’re a newbie to vermouth and wondering what all the fuss is about, Charlie McCarthy, certified spirits educator at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) explains that vermouths are wines that have been “lightly fortified by adding spirit and also aromatised by the addition of wormwood (artemisia) and other botanicals.” Most will then also have some sugar added to balance the bitterness of the wormwood.
What are the different types of vermouth?
Charlie explains that they tend to be classified into three main types:
- A sweet vermouth will typically have a red hue. “While the base wine for these vermouths used to be red wine, nowadays, most sweet vermouths are made using a white wine base, with colour being added. This style is also sometimes referred to as Italian vermouth.”
- A dry vermouth will likely be white. “As the name suggests, this is less sweetened than red vermouth, but it does still have a sweet aspect to balance the aromatic bitterness. This style is also sometimes referred to as French vermouth.”
- While the last type is Bianco, “This is a dry vermouth, but is significantly sweeter, with prominent vanilla notes to accompany the bitter botanicals.”
What should you expect from a vermouth?
“The key aromatic balance in a vermouth is between the bitter and sweet elements,” explains Charlie, “another key consideration is whether the base wine used was particularly aromatic.”
“With an ABV anywhere between 14.5 and 22 per cent, vermouths pack a bit more of a punch than wine, and the array of botanical complexity available in the category makes for a very interesting and versatile drink to enjoy on its own or as an impactful cocktail ingredient.”
Served over ice, they are regularly drunk as an aperitif. While Charlie adds that vermouth is also a “staple of many classic cocktails. A Vermouth & Tonic highball makes for a rewarding and less alcoholic alternative to the G&T.”
If you’re not sure what vermouth to add to your favourite cocktail, Charlie explains, “sweet vermouth is a key ingredient in the Negroni, Manhattan and Martinez. Dry vermouth meanwhile plays an essential role in the dry martini. Somewhat confusingly, if you like more dry vermouth in your martini, let your bartender know that you’d like your martini ‘wet’.”
Here’s our pick of the best vermouths.
Best supermarket red wines 2022 from Malbec to Rioja
Best English wines 2021: Enjoy the festive season with sparkling, whites and reds
Best rosé wines available in the UK to try for summer 2022
Best home coffee makers 2022: filter, pod and bean to cup machines
Best CBD oil in the UK: the top brands reviewed 2022
Best rums to try that taste great in cocktails or neat, from spiced to dark
Cocchi Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry
Coochi is a brand beloved by bartenders all over the world - and now the Italian aperitif maker has launched this vermouth that is perfect for cocktail mixing.
The new addition is made from a base wine of Cortese grapes and hints of coriander and lemon peel botanicals - so it’s a great addition to a classic martini or Manhattan.
With notes of fresh apple and melon, you can also taste the Piedmontese mint and lemon peel flavours, especially if enjoyed on its own over ice or with a splash of soda water.
Buy now £19.00, Waitrose
Martini Extra Dry Vermouth
A classic vermouth for any drinks cabinet or trolley, this option is the main ingredient for a good martini cocktail (the clue is in the name). The drink, which is over 100 years old, is iconic and aromatic in its tasting notes.
The flavour was first launched in the 1900s and had been perfected over 10 years. The dry white wine has hints of raspberry, lemon and iris roots, which are sundried for three years.
Add it to gin, and garnish with lemon peel or an olive, and you have yourself a winning martini.
Buy now £8.00, Waitrose
Discarded Sweet Cascara Vermouth
If you have a sweet tooth for cherries, get your fix with this sweet vermouth. It is made from cascara, the ‘discarded’ fruit husks of the coffee cherry that give it notes of Damson Jam and cherries.
A fortified dry red wine is blended together with an extract of the cascara, while wormwood extract is added for bitterness and the combination makes a rich, fruity and complex drink with notes of dark chocolate and roasted coffee. Drink over ice or add it to your Negroni recipe for a sweet kick.
Buy now £19.00, Waitrose
Lillet Blanc
If you can’t get to Europe this summer, you can bring the flavour of France to you with this white vermouth. It is made with white Bordeaux wines and fruit brandy. You may also notice the hints of parsley, red berries and cracked black pepper and its slight smokiness as its aged in oak for a year before it’s ready to drink.
A sweet vermouth, you’ll taste other notes of white grapes and port, which are enhanced when paired with soda. The drink has a long finish, but if you want more of a kick, add some gin or vodka, or use it as a base for a French twist on the Manhattan.
Buy now £20.65, Master of Malt
Forty-Five Vermouth Radiant Rose
Well known for award-winning gins, the Spirit of Manchester Distillery also create a selection of vermouths that are perfect to sip over ice.
The radiant Rose vermouth is floral, fruity and light. Made from English wine from the Stopham Estate vineyard in Sussex, it has summer berry flavours (think blackberry, blueberry and raspberry) and a unique touch of hibiscus.
Add it to your favourite Manchester Gin for a dinner party aperitif with the girls or pair it with some tonic for a wave of freshness.
Buy now £31.95, Master of Malt
Gonzalez Byass Vermouth La Copa Blanco Extra Seco
This is a historic vermouth that is based on the original French version of the wine that dates back to 1896. To the delight of vermouth purists, Gonzalez Byass has relaunched it.
With a Fino sherry base and added botanicals of cinnamon and clove, it has a dry and sour finish. This makes it a killer addition to a martini, whether you prefer them shaken or stirred. Alternatively, use as a sour aperitif before dinner.
Buy now £19.00, Amazon
Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth
No Martinez (the grandfather of the martini) cocktail is complete without this sweet vermouth. Simply pair with gin, bitters and maraschino liqueur. With a recipe dating back to 1786, the Italian vermouth is a great way to round off any meal.
The flavour comes from the base of Italian wines, such as the Piedmontese muscatel, the vanilla bouquet and notes of anise, orange peel and dates. If a Martini isn’t your thing add it to a Manhattan or a Negroni for a sweet twist.
Buy now £30.50, Amazon
Vermut Blanco Bodegas Emilio Lustau
Looking for a dry white wine apéritif? The Spanish-made Vermut Blanco is a complex bouquet of rosemary, orange peel and chamomile flowers, best served on its own, over ice.
Nibble on cheeses as you sip on the vermouth, which is a balance of one dry, mineral and one sweet floral wine. The full-bodied dry white vermouth has floral and citrus notes that make it best enjoyed on a sunny summer’s day.
Buy now £18.95, Berry Bros and Rudd
Silent Pool Albury English Vermouth
If you’re a gin fan then you’ll know Silent Pool for its pretty flower detailed bottles and the floral flavour to match. Much like its juniper friend, the brand’s sweet vermouth is also distilled in Aldbury, Surrey. It is made with Sauvignon wine and blended with Pinot Noir and botanicals.
The flavours, which include cassia bark, orange peel, nutmeg and ginger are reminiscent of crackling fires and Christmas markets, while you’ll also pick up dark notes of cacao and coffee, creamy undertones of vanilla and a caramelised honey taste as you sip on the drink. Add to gin and Campari for the perfect Negroni cocktail.
Buy now £22.50, Silent Pool
Bolney Wine Estate Rosso English Vermouth
For their English vermouths, the winemakers at the Bolney wine estate were inspired by nature and its Sussex estate - and have included botanicals found in their gardens.
Sipping on this sweet vermouth, you’ll find sloe and blackcurrant flavours with notes of caramel and eucalyptus. While rosé and elderflower blossom give the drink a slight sweetness.
Break this out on a spring day, as the sun starts to shine. Pour it over some ice and add some tonic, plus your favourite garnish, such as lemon thyme, for an Instagram-worthy shot.
Buy now £19.00, Bolney Wine Estate
Verdict
A perfect vermouth for drinking on its own, before dinner, or with one of your other favourite spirits in a cocktail, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry has some interesting flavours. From apple and melon, to lemon and coriander, this new vermouth, we’re sure, will become a must-have on your cocktail trolley - ready for when you fancy a quick tipple.
