Vermouth is aromatised, fortified wine, bittered with wormwood by law. It shares amaro's botanical logic but starts from wine rather than neutral spirit, which is why it is lower in alcohol, softer and more food-friendly.
In the cocktail canon, vermouth is what amaro is usually measured against. A Negroni splits gin, Campari and sweet vermouth into equal thirds; a Black Manhattan swaps the vermouth out for amaro entirely; a Boulevardier sits between the two.
Treat it as a wine, because it is one. Refrigerate after opening and finish the bottle within a month — oxidised vermouth is the single most common reason a home Negroni tastes dull.
What vermouth tastes like
Grape sweetness, bitter herbs, and a soft wine acidity.
Behind the bar
- ✦Keep sweet and dry vermouth in the fridge, always.
- ✦Punt e Mes sits halfway between vermouth and amaro and can play either role.
- ✦Split the vermouth in a Manhattan with an amaro for depth without extra sweetness.
Amari made with vermouth
Bottles from the Encyclopedia of Amaro that list it among their botanicals.
Vermouth cocktails to make tonight
Recipes from the Cocktail Lab that use vermouth.
- Amaro Boulevardier1.5 oz Bourbon · 1 oz Cynar · 1 oz Sweet Vermouth · orange peel
- Hanky Panky1.5 oz Gin · 1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth · 2 dashes Fernet-Branca · orange peel
- Cynar Negroni1 oz Gin · 1 oz Cynar · 1 oz Sweet Vermouth · orange wheel
- Bitter Giuseppe2 oz Cynar · 1 oz Sweet Vermouth · ¼ oz Lemon Juice · 6 dashes Orange Bitters
- Old Pal1 oz Rye Whiskey · 1 oz Dry Vermouth · 1 oz Campari · Lemon Twist
- Mezcal Negroni1 oz Mezcal · 1 oz Campari · 1 oz Sweet Vermouth · Orange Peel
- Bensonhurst2 oz Rye Whiskey · 1 oz Dry Vermouth · ¼ oz Cynar · ¼ oz Maraschino
- Negroni Sbagliato1 oz Campari · 1 oz Sweet Vermouth · Prosecco · Orange Slice
- Americano1.5 oz Campari · 1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth · Soda Water · Orange Slice
- Rosita1½ oz Reposado Tequila · ½ oz Campari · ½ oz Sweet Vermouth · ¼ oz Dry Vermouth
- Milano-Torino1½ oz Campari · 1½ oz Sweet Vermouth
- Left Hand1½ oz Bourbon · ¾ oz Campari · ¾ oz Sweet Vermouth · 3 dashes Chocolate Bitters
Vermouth: frequently asked questions
Is vermouth an amaro?
No. Vermouth is aromatised wine; amaro is a bittered spirit liqueur. They share botanicals and both use wormwood, but the base and the strength differ.
How long does vermouth last once opened?
About a month refrigerated. After that it oxidises and tastes flat, which dulls any cocktail it is in.