What is Vermouth?
In a nutshell, vermouth is a fortified wine, beginning life as a flavoured wine that is then boosted with neutral alcohol and often infused with other botanicals.
The history of Vermouth
For many drinkers, vermouth is just another cocktail ingredient used in the Negroni, Manhattan and Martini to name a few, but few know more about it beyond this.
Like a surprising number of alcoholic creations, its origins are medicinal, but you’ll struggle to find a modern-day Doctor who prescribes vermouth! In German, wormwood translates to ‘wermut’ and is one of the most historically significant ingredients, so this is where ‘vermouth’ comes from. Antonio Carpano is credited with the term, creating the first commercial bottles of vermouth as we know it in Milan way back in 1786.
Luigi and Giuseppe Cora were responsible for popularising it in the early 19th century, and soon after came a flourish of famous Italian brands like Gancia, Ballor, Cinzano and Martini, as well as French creations like Noilly Prat. Since then, craft distilling means the world of vermouth distilling has blossomed as has fortified wine more widely.
What are the different types of Vermouth?
Historically speaking, two types of vermouth were considered and the Alps provided a fairly accurate border between them. Red vermouths, or Italian vermouths, came first before the French produced their white and dry blends.
In the modern era, the distinctions are more sophisticated, however:
Dry vermouth may be the most well-known, and is what you’ll find in most cocktails with its intense spices and botanicals. It could be argued that subsets like, ‘Extra Dry’ are their own types of vermouth too.
Sweet vermouth (sometimes called red) is unsurprisingly, noticeably sweet containing way more sugar than the dry.
Blanc vermouth (sometimes called Bianco or white) leans towards the sweeter, floral side and is a kind of middle ground between dry and sweet vermouth.
Rose vermouth is far less common but focuses on florality rather than sweetness.
How do you drink Vermouth?
The truth is vermouth is probably more versatile than you think. You can enjoy it on its own over ice served as an aperitif, or top up with soda for a similar but longer drink. Most vermouth you buy will be between 16%-18%, so a lot of drinkers opt for it as a low-alcohol option compared to gin or vodka.
Though it’s often confused with a spirit, it’s important to remember that vermouth is a wine base. Therefore, it isn’t one to be stored in the liquor cabinet for months on end once opened. You’ll likely have around 2 months to finish it, and it should be stored like a regular wine bottle would be – conveniently, we’ve got a whole guide on that here! It’s fortified so it’s not quite as fickle as an open bottle of wine, but it will oxidise and deteriorate over time.
The most famous way to enjoy vermouth though, is in cocktails, and for good reason too because it really lifts so many of our favourites. So, let’s take a look at some of the best cocktails that show what an essential player vermouth is in mixology.
Which cocktails can you make with Vermouth?
Classic Negroni
Negronis are so popular because they’re a) super easy to pull together and b) taste delicious. The right vermouth binds this together fantastically well, adding great weight and layers of sweet complexity.
Ingredients
25ml sweet vermouth (like Cocchi Vermouth di Torino)
25ml London Dry Gin
25ml Campari
Garnish: orange peel
Method
Add the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill it with ice. Stir for 20-30 seconds until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass. Add large ice cubes and garnish with that orange peel.
Vodka Martini
The Vodka Martini is so simple that a quality dry vermouth is required to let it really shine. We recommend a 50:50 split of vodka and vermouth for the perfect blend of silky smooth texture and herbaceous spicy undertones. The subtlety and elegance of the lip-smacking concoction is why we love it, but a dash of orange bitters can elevate it even more!
Ingredients
25ml dry vermouth (like Noilly Prat Original)
25ml vodka (like Grey Goose)
Dash of orange bitters
Twist of lemon
Method
Shake or stir your vermouth and vodka together with some ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Add the orange bitters, a twist of lemon and voila!
Vermouth Spritz
This Venice style spritz works so well for a refreshingly light sipper, and we love using the underappreciated rosé vermouth for more of a red fruits presence, because the Aperol already brings plenty of aromatic taste. The final cocktail is a perfect blend of subtle sweetness, delicate bubbles, floral notes and herbaceous undertones with plenty of oomph.
Ingredients
50ml rosé vermouth (like Regal Rogue Wild Rosé)
15ml Aperol
Prosecco to top up
Garnish with lemon and fresh mint
Method
Add the vermouth and Aperol to your glass with ice, top up with Prosecco and garnish with lemon and mint for the finishing touch. Enjoy!
Which Vermouth should I try?
Regal Rogue Wild Rosé Vermouth
Regal Rogue love to show off the wine in their vermouth, and their Wild Rosé pushes Australian Illawarra plums to the front alongside strawberry and rosella. There are gorgeous hints of spice and nods to tropical flavours in this accessible and super versatile vermouth, and it works just as well in the cocktail above as it does with a simple tonic. Stunning.
Size: 500ml
ABV: 16.5%
Find here: £16.74
Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth
If you’re scratching your chin pondering on which vermouth to try, then it only makes sense to opt for the original French vermouth, the benchmark dry white that is Noilly Prat. In the tiny Marseillan village, highly acidic Picpoul grapes are used and the liquid is part aged in casks, and part aged in the elements for slow oxidation. This blend is macerated with their trademark herbs and spices for the pinnacle of dry vermouth. For a Dry Martini, look no further.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 18%
Find here: UK £14.99 // US $11.99
Cocchi Vermouth Di Torino
This is our choice for a classic Negroni and to be honest, plenty of other mixes. In and around Piedmont in Northern Italy, the recipe dates back to 1891 and uses Moscato wine, tangy citrus and rhubarb, traditional wormwood and a guarded blend of aromatic spices and herbs. Rich and intense, it is delicious to explore on the rocks or as a welcome twist to classic cocktails.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 16%
Find here: UK £19.95 // US $22.99
Vermouth is an absolute must in any mixologist’s cabinet, but we have a number of other drinks guides of liquids that are misunderstood or simply not talked about enough. Take a look at Absinthe, Pisco and Baijiu here!