When it comes to your liquor cabinet, what part does vermouth play? Is it a supporting player, dribbled into martinis and mixed drinks? Or does it ever get to star? If you only know the budget brands of vermouth, you should try Carpano Antica for a change, and see what a terrific aperitif a good glass of vermouth can be.
Carpano Antica is an Italian vermouth made by the same company that supposedly invented vermouth. So this stuff has a serious pedigree. It is also supposed to taste much like the original vermouth (an esoteric mix of herbs and flavorings) — a drink that can stand on its own.
What does it taste like? Well, it's the most perfect aperitif. It has rich, dark notes of licorice, herbs, figs, cocoa, and sweet cinnamon. It's full-bodied and a little sweet, but spectacularly balanced. It finishes bone dry. There's no lingering, cloying aftertaste, which you do tend to find in lesser red (or sweet) vermouths. In my liquor cabinet (and wine closet, come to think of it) there really are few greater pleasures than a little glass of Carpano.
I first tried this at a restaurant in San Francisco. My husband ordered a glass of it on the rocks. It came with a slice of orange, and sipping it before our meal began turned out to be the highlight of the evening.
Carpano Antica is really perfect as it is, on its own, but I also mix it in Negronis and in a few other mixed drinks, where its cinnamon notes really grace the mix.
Find it: Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth Liter, $25.99 at K&L Wines. Also in local liquor stores.
Do you ever drink Carpano? Do you drink it straight? Or do you mix it up?
Related: Love Campari? It's Time to Try Gran Classico
(Images: Faith Durand)
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the best cocktail I've ever had was a blood & sand made with carpano antica -- though it is just as good on the rocks.
love love love carpano. Totally agree with @amineh11, it is fantastic in a blood and sand. I frequently will drink it on the rocks with an orange or lemon peel. There is the fancy vermouth cocktail (the actual name) which is so simple and lovely with carpano. I learned it from the owner of my neighborhood cocktail shop. This blog has a description of it. http://www.raisedspirits.com/2010/11/mixology-monday-mxmo-lii-fancy-vermouth.html
I was introduced to drinking white vermouth as an "apero" while I was first in France. You order it by the brand name most popular there..."Martini". Next to Rose wine, a glass of white vermouth with a slice of lemon says "summer" to me!
Yowsa! A manhattan with Carpano is such a pleasure that it limits the words I can speak while drinking it, I'm smiling too much. I almost passed out once when having a "perfect" manhattan with equal parts sweet vermouth (Carpano) and dry vermouth (we used Cocchi Americano) with a simple Canadian Whiskey. You don't need to spend on the bourbon or whiskey, but definately up the ante on the vermouth. thanks for posting this- I have someone to go right now ;)
Carpano elevates the negroni and manhattan . I like it on the rocks as well with a slice of orange. We reviewed it on our Italian food site.
I've been drinking this for awhile, and whenever I start sipping it, I cry out "it's so damn good." Over and over again. It is just ridiculous how delicious it is.