The Bar Journal

You’ll likely spy bottles of niche vermouths at the best cocktails bars from New York to Los Angeles. Such is the case at Milk & Honey, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where house bartenders have developed an appreciation for vermouth. Few city mixologist last year hosted a vermouth seminar at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. They said : “As my palate has matured, I’ve come to really appreciate vermouth, not only as an accent but as a drink in its own right. I like the history that comes with it and the romanticism of old, secret family recipes, spanning generations” .

One of my favorite classic cocktails that highlights the complex botanical character of vermouth is The Diplomat (a mix of orange bitters, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and maraschino served up with a lemon twist).  

Some US bartenders are even making their own vermouth too.

At Nopa in San Francisco, Neyah White crafts seasonal vermouths. His rosé vermouth was based on  Martini  Rosato, which he came across in London. At the time, the product that wasn’t available in the US. “I remember thinking America gets shafted again,” says White. He infuses his own rosé vermouth with dried rose buds, quinine, jasmine and lovage, which he says adds an earthy quality, while lotus leaves round it all out.

To fortify the mix he uses a combination of charcoal filtered Everclear and neutral grape spirit. Some ideas are garnered from tea experts. White says, “I always go to tea people for guidance on infusions. We have a wonderful Chinatown here and there’s a teahouse I like to hang out at. They suggested I try lotus leaves.”

The recent launch of Rosato in the US also offers exciting potential: “Rosé vermouths can be lovely, with different aromatics,”. Bartenders and discerning drinkers developing a taste for the category……

Martini Rosato could be the future of this category?

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