Vermouth Cocktails
51 drinks with this bottle, from the easy ones up.
What goes with Vermouth?
Soda water, ice and a slice of orange. That's the easiest good vermouth drink there is, and the bubbles lift the herbs without hiding them. Tonic works well with dry or bianco. For cocktails, sweet vermouth loves whiskey in a Manhattan and Campari in a Negroni, while dry vermouth belongs with gin in a Martini.
What does it taste like?
Sweet red vermouth tastes of herbs, dried fruit and bitter orange, like a spiced wine. Dry white is lean and herbal with a bitter finish, and bianco sits between the two, soft and floral.
Which bottle should I buy?
Martini & Rossi and Cinzano are the easy-to-find names, Noilly Prat and Dolin are the usual dry picks, and Carpano Antica Formula and Cocchi are richer sweet ones. Buy a small bottle, because you want to finish it while it's fresh.
Goes well with
A fortified wine flavored with herbs and spices, usually including wormwood, with sweet red styles rooted in Turin, Italy, and dry white styles in France. Most bottles are around 15 to 18% ABV. Use Lillet Blanc or fino sherry for dry vermouth, and Dubonnet Rouge for sweet.
Questions
What drinks have vermouth in them?
The Martini, Manhattan and Negroni are the big three. The Americano, Boulevardier and Brooklyn all use it too. Sweet vermouth goes in most of them, and dry goes in the Martini.
Does vermouth go bad?
Yes, because it's wine. Keep it in the fridge once opened and aim to finish it within one to three months. After that it turns dull and stale.
What is the difference between sweet and dry vermouth?
Sweet vermouth is usually red, rich and spiced, while dry is pale, sharp and herbal. They aren't interchangeable in a Martini or a Manhattan, so keep one of each if you can.
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