Perhaps you haven’t even heard of this delicacy, as there are not many talks about it. But it’s a key ingredient in many cocktails, although it works great by itself as well. No matter how you want to use it, it will always be relevant.
So let’s learn a little bit about vermouth, shall we?
How is it Different From Other Wines?
First of all, it’s in a specific group called fortified wines. This means that the wine base has been “fortified” by a distilled spirit. Like brandy. The purpose of this was originally to preserve the wine for longer, but nowadays it’s much different. It can make it have a richer taste and can raise the alcohol content up to 20%.
Fortified wines can also be made sweet or dry. But there is plenty of room in-between the two if you don’t like extremes. This makes it a perfect wine for anyone, as even really picky drinkers will find something they love.
Another fact about fortified wines is that they are most commonly made in wooden casks, which can make the taste stronger.
But the history of vermouth is also quite interesting. It goes way back to 1786 when the first sweet vermouth was made. Weirdly enough, it wasn’t considered a drink back then, more like medicine. But people quickly realized that such a thing should be used for enjoyment.
Although, the main quality that separates vermouth from other wines is that it is made with herbs and spices. This makes the sweet wine have a ton of different flavors and gives it a great amount of variety.
What Can be Made With Vermouth?
If you’re one of those people who like fancy cocktails, then I have good news for you. You will love this drink as it is the key ingredient to many recipes and you will love the variety in them.
Here is a list of the more common cocktails that include vermouth:
- Dry martini
- Downhill daring
- Diamond district
- Topsy turvy
- South by southwest
- Chrysanthemum
- Reverse Manhattan
- Wormhole warrior
- Yard sale
- Blackthorn
You can probably already see that there are a lot of cocktails that can be made, as this is only 10 of them. When your only specification is to have vermouth in your drink then you will never run out of options.
But even if you don’t like any of the cocktails above it’s very easy to invent your own. Vermouth can have a variety of tastes, so it’s really easy to write your very own recipe.
What Kinds of Vermouth are There?
We have already talked about the fact that vermouth comes in all flavors from dry to sweet, but that’s not enough. There are 3 main types that are all different but can give you a rough outline of what they actually are.
Sweet Red Vermouth
These ones mostly resemble bold red wines. They have a rich taste that goes along really well with whiskey, bourbon and other bitter drinks. But most importantly: it’s the main ingredient of a Manhattan.
Dry White Vermouth
Dry vermouth generally has floral or herbal tastes. They can complement gin or vodka, but if you are daring then you can even try tequila. But you can even pair it with Campari or Aperol.
Blanc Vermouth
This is the vermouth that can stand its’ ground on its’ own. It has the sweetness of sweet vermouth and the floral tastes of dry vermouth. The best of both worlds.
It works really well with gin, vodka, and sparkling. Although, we recommend drinking it without any other spirit. The flavor of it is best experienced alone.
What herbal essences are usually used in vermouth?
There are several of these that you could feel in such a drink. Mostly because it was originally used as a medicine, so people put a ton of herbs in it. These also influence the taste and the intensity of it, so it’s good to have an idea of what is also used to make your vermouth.
The most common one is the chamomile. One of the most famous healing herbs. This is usually used in white vermouth, as it is the key ingredient when someone wants their wine to have floral notes. Although it can ruin the entire drink as if it’s left to soak too long then it will make the vermouth acidic and bitter.
Coriander is the ingredient that makes the wine sourer. This isn’t an ideal outcome, but if your goal is to have an intense end result, then it’s necessary. The acidity brings out the rest of the flavors which cover up the sourness.
The next one is the juniper. Many people don’t know what this plant is, so let us tell you one main thing: it resembles pine needles. And it tastes the same. Bitter. It makes the sweet wine dry, but the finish becomes really crisp because of it.
Trying vermouth is essential if you want to have a full wine experience. Not only is it unique, but comes in all shapes and sizes. And of course, flavors. Buy a bottle and see if it fits you, then bottoms up!
Have you tried vermouth before? How was it? Tell us down in the comments below! Be sure to also check out “How to Properly Pour Wine Without Spilling” or “Be Aware Of These 6 High Alcohol Content Wines” for guides to finding the right bottle for you.
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Thank you for reading! We’ll uncork ya later!! 