Carpano Antica Vermouth

Carpano Antica Formula is a sweet red vermouth from Turin, in Piedmont, bottled at 16.5% ABV. It is built on the recipe credited to Antonio Benedetto Carpano in 1786, and it sits at the rich, dense end of the sweet vermouth range. Vanilla is the most prominent note. Styles like this usually add dark caramel, dried fruit, warm baking spice and a bitter-herb finish that keeps the sweetness from turning syrupy. Expect a heavier body than the lighter Italian and French vermouths, with a long, slightly bittersweet finish. Its weight and sweetness suit stirred drinks that need a vermouth with presence. In a Manhattan it fills out the middle of the drink and softens the edge of a high-proof rye or bourbon. In a Negroni it takes on Campari's bitterness and gin's juniper without disappearing. The same strength carries into the Boulevardier, the Rob Roy and the Americano. In these drinks it is usually the most flavorful ingredient, so many bartenders cut back on any added sugar or liqueur and let the vermouth do that work. It is also good on its own, which is not true of every vermouth. Serve it neat in a small wine glass or a cocktail coupe, or pour 2 ounces over a single large ice cube with an orange peel expressed over the top. The citrus oils work against the vanilla and make the herbal side more noticeable. For a longer, lower-alcohol drink, build it over ice with soda water in a highball glass at roughly one part vermouth to two parts soda, and finish with an orange slice or a strip of lemon peel. Cured meats, aged hard cheeses, roasted nuts and dark chocolate all go well with it. Because vermouth is a fortified wine, it changes once opened. Reseal the bottle and keep it in the refrigerator, where it holds its flavor for a month or two. After that the aromatics fade, and a bottle left on a back bar will taste flat in a cocktail.